Equilibrium I

  • Products of complete combustion (PCC) are useful for simple calculations.
    • Can be considered an upper bound on the extent of reaction.
    • Useful for defining heating values and providing a combustion basis.
  • At high temperatures products dissociate to form $H_2$, $CO$, $H$, $O$, $OH$, etc.

Criteria for equilibrium

  • Consider a fixed mass at equilibrium

  • $dU = dQ + dW$

    • $dW = -PdV$
    • at equilibrium differential changes are reversible, so $dQ = TdS$.
  • $dU = TdS - PdV$

  • Assume const $T$ and $P$, then we can move $T$ and $P$ inside the derivatives:

    • $dU = d(TS) - d(PV)$.
  • Collect terms:

    • $d(U+PV-TS) = d(H-TS)= dG = 0$.
  • At equilibrium $$dG_{T,P} = 0$$

  • Hence $G$ is a critical point.

    • When not at equilibrium changes are not reversible and $dS > dQ/T$ so $dQ < TdS \rightarrow dG<0$,
    • Hence $G$ is a minimum at equilibrium.
  • Note equilibrium is a state not a process.

    • The $T,P$ in $dG_{T,P}=0$ does not mean that that the equilibrium applies to a constant $T$ and $P$ process.
    • Rather, if you look in directions of constant $T$ and $P$, then the $G$ curve will be minimum at the equilibrium point.

Other equivalent equilibrium conditions

  • Above, we had $$dU = TdS - PdV$$
    • For constant $T$, $P$, we have $dG_{T,P}=0$.
    • For constant $S$, $V$, we have $dU_{S,V}=0$.
    • For constant $S$, $P$, we have $dU=-d(PV)\rightarrow dH_{S,P}=0$.
    • For constant $T$, $V$, we have $dU=d(TS)\rightarrow dA_{T,V}=0$, where $A$ is Helmholz free energy.
  • All of these four expressions are true of an equilibrium state at a given temperature and pressure.
    • Similarly, all of these four expressions are true at a given $S$ and $V$, etc.
    • Again, this is because equilibrium is a state, not a process.