Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-b-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2021/paper-2/section-c/c8/b/solution
Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge 2021 Paper 2 Section C C8 b Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
At coexistence, the two phases of a pure substance have equal chemical potential, or equivalently equal molar Gibbs free energy:For either phase, . Move an infinitesimal distance along the coexistence curve, where the equality must remain true. Subtracting the two differentials givesA reversible transformation at this common temperature absorbs latent heat . ThusThe derivation assumes thermodynamic equilibrium between two bulk phases of a single pure substance, with the same temperature and pressure, and only ordinary pressure-volume work. Surface-curvature shifts, additional external-field work and composition changes are omitted. It applies to a first-order phase boundary where the latent heat and volume discontinuity are defined. No ideal-gas assumption and no constant- assumption are needed for this differential relation. At the critical endpoint both discontinuities vanish, so their ratio requires a limiting treatment rather than direct substitution of two zeros.
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