Understanding Chem. Pot.: ΔU, μ, R, N/N(all)

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In summary, the change in internal energy in a thermodynamical system is given by the equation ΔU=T.ΔS - p.ΔV + Ʃ μ.ΔN. The chemical potential, μ, represents the potential that one particle of a given substance would add when being added to the system. It is calculated using the equation μ=μ(0) + R.T.ln( N/N(all) ), where μ(0) is the standard chemical potential and N/N(all) is the relative concentration of the substance. The Universal Gas Constant (R) is used because the equation for the chemical potential is derived from the equation for the molar chemical potential. The potential added by a particle is lower in
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petko10
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Hello everyone ,
I'm a medical student from Bulgaria and I'm having problems understanding the following :

In a thermodynamical system the change in internal energy is: ΔU=T.ΔS - p.ΔV + Ʃ μ.ΔN

μ is the chemical potential that one particle of a given substance would add when being added to the system (with const. S and V) .

μ = ΔU/ΔN ;

Our textbook says that :

μ=μ(0) + R.T.ln( N/N(all) )

where μ(0) is standard chemical potential (the chem. potential in a system with only that kind of substance)
and N/N(all) - the relative concentration of the substance.

Now what I do not understand is :
1. Why use the universal gas constant (R) (and not Bolzmans constant) when chemical potential is about a single particle .
2. Why is there a difference in the potential that a particle adds to the system in relation to the concentration of that type of particle in the system ??

I know that the matter is pretty narrow , so if no one has any idea , please direct me to some source , because I couldn't google the answers to the questions so far.

Edit: So I read some more online and the textbook was wrong . I figured they started talking about a chemical potential of a molecule , and at some point switched without clarification to molar chemical potential . And the potential added is relative to the volume therefore lower in mixtures than in pure substances .
 
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1. The Universal Gas Constant (R) is used because the equation for the chemical potential of a particle is derived from the equation for the molar chemical potential which uses the Universal Gas Constant. 2. The difference in potential that a particle adds to the system in relation to the concentration of that type of particle in the system is due to the fact that the potential of a particle in a mixture is lower than the potential of a particle in a pure substance. This is due to the fact that the volume of the mixture has to be taken into account when calculating the potential.
 

FAQ: Understanding Chem. Pot.: ΔU, μ, R, N/N(all)

What is chemical potential?

Chemical potential is a measure of the energy required to add one mole of a substance to a system at constant temperature and pressure. It is also known as the Gibbs free energy of a substance.

How is chemical potential related to internal energy?

Chemical potential is a component of the internal energy of a system. It represents the energy required to add or remove particles from a system while keeping its temperature and pressure constant.

What is the relationship between chemical potential and temperature?

The chemical potential of a substance is inversely proportional to its temperature. This means that as the temperature increases, the chemical potential decreases, and vice versa.

What is the significance of chemical potential in phase transitions?

In phase transitions, the chemical potential determines the stability of a particular phase. At the phase transition point, the chemical potential of the two phases is equal, and the system can transition between the two phases without a change in energy.

How does the number of particles affect chemical potential?

The chemical potential is directly proportional to the number of particles in a system. This means that as the number of particles increases, the chemical potential also increases. This relationship is described by the equation μ = ΔU/N.

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