totally not confusing chem question

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chiddler

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Which of the following are constant throughout a single phase of any substance or mixture at equilibrium not separated by rigid or adiabatic walls?

I. Temp
II. Pressure
III. Mole fraction

I don't understand what this question is asking.

Thanks.
 
Ok, let's try to deconstruct it:

- throughout a single phase - at all temp/pressures where the phase stays the same, for example gas
- any substance or mixture - well, just about anything, no restrictions here
- at equilibrium - not gaining/losing heat, everything is settled
- no rigid walls - volume/pressure are not limited in any way
- no adiabatic walls - heat can be exchanged freely with the surroundings

I. Temp - could we be in the conditions described above at different temperatures? Well, yes, there is a whole range of temps where we can stay at the same temperature, so temp is not constant.

II. Pressure - same logic, there are different pressures at which the system will be as described

III. Mole fraction - this one will stay the same - you cannot change it by changing pressure or changing temp.

So I would go with III. What's the correct answer?
 
answer is all of them. "The important thing to know here is that temp, pressure, and number of moles is enough to define a phase of a given substance."

adiabatic means no heat exchange, by the way. edit: i just realized that it is not separated by adiabatic walls. Ok I understand your interpretation of this.
 
bah. I'm feeling apathetic. Forget this question. It's playing with what a phase constitutes which is not difficult anyway.

nevermind.
 
answer is all of them. "The important thing to know here is that temp, pressure, and number of moles is enough to define a phase of a given substance."

adiabatic means no heat exchange, by the way. edit: i just realized that it is not separated by adiabatic walls. Ok I understand your interpretation of this.

I understand their answer but I don't interpret their question to be asking that. Oh well. TBR?
 
EK1001's. yes, the answer is the gist of what they wanted to get across. i think that's enough.

thanks for your help.
 
Which of the following are constant throughout a single phase of any substance or mixture at equilibrium not separated by rigid or adiabatic walls?

I. Temp
II. Pressure
III. Mole fraction

I don't understand what this question is asking.

Thanks.

We actually spent a good amount of time learning the exact definitions of this kind of stuff in the gen chem class I just took.

A "mixture" can be homogenous or heterogenous. If the entire mixture is in a single phase, however, it is considered homogenous. So, in a homogenous mixture you would expect every property to be the same throughout.

It looks like you guys already have this figured out, but I thought I might as well add that in just in case it helps.
 
We actually spent a good amount of time learning the exact definitions of this kind of stuff in the gen chem class I just took.

A "mixture" can be homogenous or heterogenous. If the entire mixture is in a single phase, however, it is considered homogenous. So, in a homogenous mixture you would expect every property to be the same throughout.

It looks like you guys already have this figured out, but I thought I might as well add that in just in case it helps.

It's the interpretation of the exact wording of the question that I don't get. "Throughout a single phase" for me implies that we are talking about all the states when the mixture is a gas, etc. But I'm fine with the concepts and the question is a bit of whatever at this point.
 
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