Question

What specific purpose, thermodynamic or kinetic, does heat serve in running a reaction?

Answer 1

Thermodynamics and kinetics both are the concepts that are related to occuring/non-occuring of the reaction.

But both these concepts are different purposes.Kinetics is related to reactivity. In contrast, the most stable state of a thermodynamically favorable reaction is the products, because the reaction occurs spontaneously, without the need for energy to be added. Thermodynamics is related to stability.

The energy of motion is related to kinetics, which determines how fast the reaction will reach equilibrium, related to thermodynamics. The energy of motion (kinetics) added to a reaction causes the reaction to happen faster, using energy of heat as a way by which to accelerate the reaction. An example of this is the cup of water with the sugar while it is being heated. The heat energy converts into kinetic energy (energy of motion), accelerating the reaction between the water molecules and the sugar crystals.

The rate constant k is related to equilibrium in that it tells us about how fast the reaction reaches equilibrium. If heat is added to a reaction, its rate will increase due to increased kinetic energy.

So role of heat is there from thermodynamics and kinetics point of view but the purpose served are differet as said earlier.