Sample interview questions: Describe the concept of chemical potential and its role in thermodynamics.
Sample answer:
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Chemical potential is a fundamental thermodynamic property of individual species in a mixture that measures the change in free energy of the system when an infinitesimal amount of that species is added or removed.
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It is a measure of the escaping tendency of a particle from a mixture due to differences in concentration, temperature, or other factors.
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Chemical potential plays a crucial role in determining various phase behavior, chemical reactions, and equilibrium conditions in thermodynamics.
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In a closed system at constant temperature and pressure, the chemical potential of each species is equalized to achieve a state of equilibrium.
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The difference in chemical potential between two regions or phases drives mass transfer and diffusion processes until equilibrium is reached.
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Chemical potential is also essential in understanding colligative properties of solutions, such as vapor pressure lowering, boiling… Read full answer