The Chemical Potential/particle Number Pair
The chemical potential is like a force which pushes an increase in particle number. In cases where there are a mixture of chemicals and phases, this is a useful concept. For example if a container holds water and water vapor, there will be a chemical potential (which is negative) for the liquid pushing water molecules into the vapor (evaporation) and a chemical potential for the vapor, pushing vapor molecules into the liquid (condensation). Only when these "forces" equilibrate is equilibrium obtained.
Read more about this topic: Conjugate Variables (thermodynamics)
Famous quotes containing the words chemical, potential, particle, number and/or pair:
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—Norman Mailer (b. 1923)
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—Bernice Weissbourd (20th century)
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
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—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)
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—Christina Stead (1902–1983)