Stat Mech & Thermodynam Problem Set 8

Reading

The rest of Schroeder chapter 5.

Problems

From chapter 5,

1. 30
2. 32
3. 35
4. 36 but skip part b.
5. 42
6. 46.  Nucleation is a very important phenomenon in finite-size systems.  In the thermodynamic limit (infinitely large systems, infinitely long waiting times) nucleation is irrelevant, but often dominates in the real world.
7. 48
8. 51.  Nondimensionalizing an equation should usually be your first step whenever you're trying to understand a general physical system that has a couple of phenomenological parameters.
9. 61
10. 65.  The most famous azeotrope is for water and ethanol (approximately 95% ethanol / 5% water); it is impossible to enrich alcohol beyond 190 proof through simple distillation.  This is why "pure" lab ethanol usually contains 5% water.  Breaking the azeotrope usually involves mixing in organic solvents like acetone; though the solvents are later removed, most people would prefer to use alcohol containing 5% water than alcohol containing traces of acetone.