Thermal & Kinetic Stability: What's the Difference?

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The discussion centers on the concepts of thermal and kinetic stability in chemical reactions, using the combustion of methane as a reference point. Thermal stability refers to the stability of products based on their energy levels and the overall enthalpy change of a reaction, while kinetic stability relates to the speed of the reaction and the activation energy required to reach the transition state. A reaction mechanism with lower activation energy will proceed faster, leading to a kinetically stable product, even if it is less stable thermodynamically. When sufficient energy is provided, the reaction can favor the thermodynamically stable product, which is typically more stable in terms of energy but may require a higher activation energy to form. This distinction is crucial in understanding how different reaction pathways can lead to varying product distributions based on stability criteria.
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Within the context of the equation:

CH4(g) +2O2(g) -> CO2(g) + H2O(l) delta H = -890 KJ

What is the difference between Thermal and Kinetic stability?

I knew the answer before, but i forgot now. Forgive me for just memorising the answer, but its a temporary solution. Any help would be appreciated!
 
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Usually when you're comparing thermal and kinetic stability, it's in reference to two different reactions mechanisms with the same reactants. One reaction mechanism might be more kinetically stable, that is since the activation energy of the transition state is lower in energy, the reaction occurs faster, and despite the relatively less "stable" product, it prevails as the product simply because the reaction occurs faster.

If you were to provide enough energy so that the rate of reaction becomes comparably similar, than you would have the thermodynamically stable product as predominant, usually because now the relative proproportion of the products now correlates with the reverse activation energy.
 
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