How Can Thermodynamics Be Useful

Reversible processes are but one example of a host of concepts of a similarly idealized nature in chemistry and physics— for example, ideal gases and solutions, absolute zero temperature, infinitely dilute solutions, perfect black-body radiation, isolated systems, perfect insulators, and so on. In every case, the adoption of the idealized case simplifies or makes possible the application of mathematics to physical 

Look up the definitions of equilibrium, stable, metastable, reversible and quasistatic in any textbooks on thermodynamics or physical chemistry you have at hand, and reflect on the differences between them and the definitions in this text. 

Consider the system Mg0-Si02-H20. List two different sets of components, three constituents, three mineral species, and three aqueous species, that might be found in this system. 

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