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Equilibrium

Question
CBSEENCH11006349

What are the general characteristics of equilibria involving physical process?

Solution

(i) In case of liquid  rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoongas equilibrium, the vapour pressure of the liquid becomes constant at a given temperature. 
(ii) In case of solid rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon   solution equilibrium, the concentration of solute in solution becomes constant at a given temperature.
(iii) In the case of gas rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoonsolution equilibrium, the pressure of the gas above liquid becomes constant at a given temperature. 
(iv) In the case of solid rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon  liquid equilibrium, there is only one temperature (melting point) at which two phases can co-exist i.e. temperature remains constant at a given pressure.

Hence the common characteristics of physical equilibrium are:
1. Equilibrium can be established only in case of a closed system.
2. The equilibrium is dynamic in nature i.e. the process does not stop after the establishment of equilibrium but the rate of the forward reaction becomes equal to the rate of backward reaction.
3. The measurable properties of the system such as melting point, boiling point, vapour pressure and solubility remain constant since the concentration of the substances remains constant.
4. When equilibrium is attained there exists an expression involving the concentration of reacting substances which acquire a constant value at a given temperature.
5. In the case of a gas dissolving in a liquid, the increase of pressure always increases the solubility of the gas in the liquid.