Wize University Chemistry Textbook > Kinetics

Introduction to Kinetics

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Introduction to Kinetics
Kinetics: The study of the rates of chemical reactions
While thermodynamics can tell us which reactions are possible (spontaneous or nonspontaneous) it cannot give us any information about how long the reaction will take.
The most famous example of this is diamonds.
C(diamond)→C(graphite)ΔG<0\begin{array}{c}
\rm C_{(diamond)}\quad\overrightarrow{\hspace{1.5cm}}\quad C_{(graphite)}\\[10pt]
\Delta G<0
\end{array}C(diamond)​C(graphite)​ΔG<0​
So if the reaction from diamond to graphite is spontaneous why do diamonds last forever?
The rate of this reaction is so slow, that the Sun will become a red giant and consume the earth before any diamonds spontaneously change phase to graphite.

Extra Practice

Kinetics (conceptual)

Let's say we have a reaction A + B  →  C that has an initial rate at room temperature. Which of the following could you do to increase the rate of the reaction? Select all that apply.