A Generalized Theory of the Chemical Kinetics from Statistical Mechanics

In this contribution, I derive the transition state theory through a probabilistic model embedded in statistical mechanics. This leads to a formulation equivalent to the Eyring equation proving that the transfer coefficient must always be one. This derivation proves that the transition between two systems that are themselves in thermal equilibrium, but separated by a bidirectional transition of any kind, can be described by the Eyring equation. The herein presented derivation does not only lead to the prediction of chemical kinetics, but also provides another proof of the second law of thermodynamics demonstrating intuitively how chemical kinetics, energy, and entropy are all fundamentally statistical phenomena.