Question

Define the term stability from both a kinetic and a thermodynamic perspective. Give examples to show the differences in these concepts.

Short answer

Kinetic stability determines reaction rate while thermodynamic stability determines whether the reaction is spontaneous or not. Common example used to describe the difference between the two is the process of diamond turning into graphite.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding the principle of thermodynamic stability and kinetic stability

When we say a reaction is kinetically stable, we are talking about how slow it is progressing with kinetic stability being inversely proportional to reaction rate.

Thermodynamic stability, on the other hand, depends on whether the reaction is spontaneous or not. If a reaction has a negative Gibbs Energy (change in free energy), that means, it is thermodynamically unstable and will occur spontaneously (and vice versa).

Understanding the differences in the concepts with the help of an example

The most common example is diamond turning into graphite. The reaction is thermodynamically unstable. However, it will take an extremely long time for that to happen and the reaction is therefore kinetically stable.