Approximations behind Clausius-Clapeyron....

In summary: Smith and Harry Van Ness are two experts in chemical engineering thermodynamics. They have a textbook, Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, which has been in widespread use for over 55 years. In it, they discuss the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The equation is properly designated as the Clapeyron equation and is discussed in Example 6.3. The solution to this example leads to the actual Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The equation relates the latent heat of vaporization to the vapor pressure curve.
  • #1
Sch44
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Someone who can explain me what approximations there is behind the Clausius-Clapeyron equation or know a good webside where i can read about it.

thanks in advance
 
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  • #2
Sch44 said:
Someone who can explain me what approximations there is behind the Clausius-Clapeyron equation or know a good webside where i can read about it.

thanks in advance
1. The gas phase is described by the ideal gas law
2. The molar volume of the liquid is negligible compared to the corresponding molar volume of gas
 
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  • #3
There are no approximations in the Clausius-Clapeyron equation itself. When two phases of a system coexist in equilibrium, the equation relates the slope of the coexistence curve to the latent heat and the change in volume. The article in Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clausius–Clapeyron_relation) gives a good account. If you are looking at the liquid - gas coexistence, and if the molar volume of the gas is much higher than that of the liquid, you can use that in approximating the equation. A complete description of the approximations that can be made are discussed in the book by Sears & Salinger, "Thermodynamics, Kinetic Theory, and Statistical Mechanics"
 
  • #4
Chandra Prayaga said:
There are no approximations in the Clausius-Clapeyron equation itself. When two phases of a system coexist in equilibrium, the equation relates the slope of the coexistence curve to the latent heat and the change in volume. The article in Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clausius–Clapeyron_relation) gives a good account. If you are looking at the liquid - gas coexistence, and if the molar volume of the gas is much higher than that of the liquid, you can use that in approximating the equation. A complete description of the approximations that can be made are discussed in the book by Sears & Salinger, "Thermodynamics, Kinetic Theory, and Statistical Mechanics"
This response is incorrect, and emphasizes the danger in accepting what one finds in an online source like wikipedia.

According to Smith, J. M. and Van Ness, H. C., Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, McGraw_Hill, 4th Edition, 1987 (an actual peer reviewed textbook that had been in widespread use for over 55 years), the equation referred to in wiki as the Clausius-Clapeyron equation is properly designated simply as the Clapeyron equation (Section 6.3, Two-Phase Systems, Eqn. 6.49). They then pose Example 6.3: "For vaporization at low pressures, one may introduce reasonable approximations into Eq. (6.49) by assuming that the vapor phase is an ideal gas and that the molar volume of the liquid is negligible compared with the molar volume of the vapor." The solution to this example then leads to the actual Clausius Clapeyron equation:
$$\Delta H^{lv}=-R\frac{d\ln{P^{sat}}}{d(1/T)}$$
They then continue,"This approximate equation, known as the Clausius/Clapeyron equation, relates the latent heat of vaporization directly to the vapor pressure curve."

Compare what I wrote in post #2 with Smith and Van Ness' description of the approximation.

Chet
 
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1. What is the Clausius-Clapeyron equation and why is it important?

The Clausius-Clapeyron equation is a thermodynamic equation that describes the relationship between the vapor pressure and temperature of a substance. It is important because it allows us to predict how the vapor pressure of a substance will change as temperature changes, which is crucial for understanding phase transitions, such as boiling and condensation.

2. What are the approximations involved in the Clausius-Clapeyron equation?

The most significant approximation in the Clausius-Clapeyron equation is that it assumes the substance is in thermal equilibrium, meaning that the temperature is the same throughout the substance. It also assumes that the specific volume of the liquid and vapor are constant, and that the latent heat of vaporization is independent of temperature.

3. How accurate is the Clausius-Clapeyron equation?

The accuracy of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation depends on the substance and the range of temperatures being considered. In general, it is more accurate for substances with lower boiling points and for smaller temperature ranges. However, it is still a useful approximation for understanding the behavior of many substances.

4. Can the Clausius-Clapeyron equation be applied to all substances?

No, the Clausius-Clapeyron equation is only applicable to substances that exhibit ideal gas behavior, meaning that they follow the ideal gas law and have a constant ratio of pressure to temperature. Real substances may deviate from ideal gas behavior, particularly at high pressures and low temperatures.

5. How does the Clausius-Clapeyron equation relate to the phase diagram of a substance?

The Clausius-Clapeyron equation is one of the fundamental equations used to construct a phase diagram for a substance. By plotting the vapor pressure versus temperature using the equation, we can determine the boiling point of the substance at different pressures. This information is then used to create the phase diagram, which shows the different phases of the substance (solid, liquid, gas) at different combinations of pressure and temperature.

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