Question

If a system has cind independent components, what is the maximum number of phases that can exist in equilibrium? (b) A given system has eight liquid phases in equilibrium with each other. What must be true about the number of independent components in this system?

Answer 1

Answer:

a) the maximum number of phases that can exist in equilibrium is $c_{ind$ + 2

b) the number of independent components in this system are 6

Explanation:

We know that, The degree of freedom f for a system can be simply referred to as number of variables that must be defined to completely solve a system.

If degree of freedom is 0, then any problem is can be solved.

a) If a system has cind independent components, what is the maximum number of phases that can exist in equilibrium?

The degree of freedom for a system can be written as;

f = $c_{ind$ - p + 2

where f is the degree of freedom

$c_{ind$ is the number of independent component

so we solve for $c_{ind$

$c_{ind$ = f + p - 2

we know that f can not be less than 0

Hence maximum possible face will be;

$c_{ind$ = p - 2

p = $c_{ind$ + 2

Therefore, the maximum number of phases that can exist in equilibrium is $c_{ind$ + 2

b) A given system has eight liquid phases in equilibrium with each other. What must be true about the number of independent components in this system?

Number of phases in the system p = 8

p = $c_{ind$ + 2

$c_{ind$ = p - 2

we substitute

$c_{ind$ = 8 - 2

$c_{ind$ = 6

Therefore, the number of independent components in this system are 6