Phase Rule and its Applications

Contents: 1. Phase EquilibriaThe Phase Rule. 2. One-Component Systems. 3. Two Component Systems. 4. Solutions. 5. Three Component Systems (C=3), Solved Problems. Index. The book covers the fundamental concepts of phases, phase diagrams and their applications. It will help the students to overcome the fear of phase rule. Stress is on understanding of concepts and not on memorization of text. The phase rule is a generalization given by Willard Gibbs (1874), which seeks to explain the equilibria existing in a heterogeneous system. It may be stated as: provided the equilibrium between any number of phases is not influenced by gravity, or electrical, or magnetic forces or by surface action and only by temperature, pressure and concentration, then the number of degrees of freedom of the system is related to number of components and of phases by the phase rule equation for any system at equilibrium at a definite temperature and pressure. A phase is a form of matter that is homogeneous in chemical composition and physical state. Typical phases are solid, liquid and gas. Two immiscible liquids separated by a distinct boundary are counted as two different phases, as are two immiscible solids. The number of components is the number of chemically independent constituents of the system. The number of degrees of freedom in this context is the number of intensive variables which are independent of each other. The book has descriptive passages and diagrams (cooling curves) that help students gain a solid foundation in the subject. This text will help them learn phase rule faster. Since question style has changed over the years, the book includes latest university questions are solved at the end of the book. It also contains numerous phase diagrams.…