What is the Difference Between Thermodynamic and Kinetic Stability?

The difference between thermodynamic and kinetic stability lies in their respective definitions and the factors they depend on:

Thermodynamic Stability: This refers to the stability of the lowest energy state of a system. It is determined by the change in free energy (ΔG) and is a state function, meaning it is independent of the pathway between reactants and products. A thermodynamically stable reaction is one that is spontaneous and does not occur under equilibrium conditions.
Kinetic Stability: This refers to the stability of reactants, and it depends on the rate of the reaction. The slower the reaction occurs, the greater the kinetic stability. Kinetic stability is influenced by factors such as the activation energy required to overcome the energy barrier for the reaction to proceed.

In summary, thermodynamic stability is related to the spontaneity of a reaction and depends on the change in free energy, while kinetic stability is related to the rate of a reaction and depends on factors such as the activation energy.

On this page

What is the Difference Between Thermodynamic and Kinetic Stability?

Comparative Table: Thermodynamic vs Kinetic Stability

The main difference between thermodynamic and kinetic stability lies in their definitions and the factors they depend on. Here is a table comparing the two:

Thermodynamic Stability	Kinetic Stability
Refers to the stability of the lowest energy state of a system	Refers to the stability of the highest energy state of a system
Depends on the change in free energy (ΔG)	Depends on the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed
Describes an equilibrium state of a system	Describes the reactivity of a system
Reaction is spontaneous if the change in free energy (ΔG) is negative	Reaction is slow if the activation energy is high
Reaction is non-spontaneous if the change in free energy (ΔG) is positive	Reaction is fast if the activation energy is low

In summary, thermodynamic stability is related to the Gibbs Free Energy and describes whether a reaction is spontaneous or not, while kinetic stability refers to the rate of a reaction and is determined by the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.