Question

What happens when ice is in equilibrium with water?

Answer 1

Equilibrium:

• When the number of molecules leaving the liquid to vapor equals the number of molecules returning to the liquid from vapor, equilibrium is said to be attained and is dynamic in nature.

The phase transformations are as follows:

• $\mathrm{solid}\rightleftharpoons \mathrm{liquid}$
• $\mathrm{liquid}\rightleftharpoons \mathrm{gas}$
• $\mathrm{solid}\rightleftharpoons \mathrm{gas}$

Equilibrium of ice with water $\left(\mathrm{ice}\rightleftharpoons \mathrm{water}\right)$:

• At equilibrium, the mass of ice/water remains unchanged, as the rates of transfer of molecules from ice into water and of reverse transfer from water into the ice are equal at atmospheric pressure and $273\mathrm{K}$.