- #1
fog37
- 1,568
- 108
Hello,
All substances that are either in the liquid or solid state have a small vapor pressure which implies that they are always slowly (solids especially) evaporating and turning into a gas (vapor).
The phase diagrams of water and carbon dioxide indicate only states (P , V) of pressure and temperature that are in thermodynamical equilibrium but in real life, both water and dry ice are not in equilibrium: water is present both as a liquid (in oceans and lakes) and as a vapor at the same conditions of pressure P and temperature T.
That said, how is the phase diagram of water useful since water is not in stable equilibrium? Is the phase diagram useful only for water in a laboratory setting?
Thanks!
fog37
All substances that are either in the liquid or solid state have a small vapor pressure which implies that they are always slowly (solids especially) evaporating and turning into a gas (vapor).
The phase diagrams of water and carbon dioxide indicate only states (P , V) of pressure and temperature that are in thermodynamical equilibrium but in real life, both water and dry ice are not in equilibrium: water is present both as a liquid (in oceans and lakes) and as a vapor at the same conditions of pressure P and temperature T.
That said, how is the phase diagram of water useful since water is not in stable equilibrium? Is the phase diagram useful only for water in a laboratory setting?
Thanks!
fog37