Respected authorities in this questionQuestion 7.1:
A liquid is in equilibrium with its vapour in a sealed container at a fixed temperature. The volume of the container is suddenly increased.
a) What is the initial effect of the change on vapour pressure?
b) How do rates of evaporation and condensation change initially?
c) What happens when equilibrium is restored finally and what will be the final vapour pressure?
Answer:(a) If the volume of the container is suddenly increased, then the vapour pressure would decrease initially. This is because the amount of vapour remains the same, but the volume increases suddenly. As a result, the same amount of vapour is distributed in a larger volume.
(b) Since the temperature is constant, the rate of evaporation also remains constant. When the volume of the container is increased, the density of the vapour phase decreases. As a result, the rate of collisions of the vapour particles also decreases. Hence, the rate of condensation decreases initially.
(c) When equilibrium is restored finally, the rate of evaporation becomes equal to the rate of condensation. In this case, only the volume changes while the temperature remains constant. The vapour pressure depends on temperature and not on volume. Hence, the final vapour pressure will be equal to the original vapour pressure of the system.
How can the final and initial pressure be equal?
Respected authorities in this questionQuestion 7.1:
A liquid is in equilibrium with its vapour in a sealed container at a fixed temperature. The volume of the container is suddenly increased.
a) What is the initial effect of the change on vapour pressure?
b) How do rates of evaporation and condensation change initially?
c) What happens when equilibrium is restored finally and what will be the final vapour pressure?
Answer:(a) If the volume of the container is suddenly increased, then the vapour pressure would decrease initially. This is because the amount of vapour remains the same, but the volume increases suddenly. As a result, the same amount of vapour is distributed in a larger volume.
(b) Since the temperature is constant, the rate of evaporation also remains constant. When the volume of the container is increased, the density of the vapour phase decreases. As a result, the rate of collisions of the vapour particles also decreases. Hence, the rate of condensation decreases initially.
(c) When equilibrium is restored finally, the rate of evaporation becomes equal to the rate of condensation. In this case, only the volume changes while the temperature remains constant. The vapour pressure depends on temperature and not on volume. Hence, the final vapour pressure will be equal to the original vapour pressure of the system.
How can the final and initial pressure be equal?
When a liquid evaporates in a closed container, molecules with relatively higher kinetic energy escape the liquid surface into the vapour phase and number of liquid molecules from the vapour phase strike the liquid surface and are retained in the liquid phase. It gives rise to a constant vapour pressure because of an equilibrium in which the number of molecules leaving the liquid equals the number returning to liquid from the vapour. We say that the system has reached equilibrium state at this stage (the rate of evaporation becomes equal to the rate of condensation). This happens irrespective of volume of the liquid but depends on temperature. If the volume of the liquid is decreased or increased, the amount of molecules leaving the liquid equals the number returning to liquid from the vapour will be same at constant temperature and hence the vapour pressure would be same at equilibrium. Hence, the final vapour pressure will be equal to the original vapour pressure of the system, when equilibrium is restored finally, though volume of the system is increased.
When a liquid evaporates in a closed container, molecules with relatively higher kinetic energy escape the liquid surface into the vapour phase and number of liquid molecules from the vapour phase strike the liquid surface and are retained in the liquid phase. It gives rise to a constant vapour pressure because of an equilibrium in which the number of molecules leaving the liquid equals the number returning to liquid from the vapour. We say that the system has reached equilibrium state at this stage (the rate of evaporation becomes equal to the rate of condensation). This happens irrespective of volume of the liquid but depends on temperature. If the volume of the liquid is decreased or increased, the amount of molecules leaving the liquid equals the number returning to liquid from the vapour will be same at constant temperature and hence the vapour pressure would be same at equilibrium. Hence, the final vapour pressure will be equal to the original vapour pressure of the system, when equilibrium is restored finally, though volume of the system is increased.
