ArticleslgStudy

physics

Partial molar property

Partial molar property is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Partial molar property rather than just read about it. In short: In thermodynamics, a partial molar property is a quantity which describes the variation of an extensive property of a solution or mixture with changes in the molar composition of the mixture at constant temperature and pressure. It is the partial derivative of the extensive property with respect to the amount (number of moles) of the component of interest.

Partial molar property — main illustration
Partial molar property — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Partial molar property belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Partial molar property to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Partial molar property from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In thermodynamics, a partial molar property is a quantity which describes the variation of an extensive property of a solution or mixture with changes in the molar composition of the mixture at constant temperature and pressure. It is the partial derivative of the extensive property with respect to the amount (number of moles) of the component of interest. Every extensive property of a mixture has a corresponding partial molar property.

Definition

The partial molar volume is broadly understood as the contribution that a component of a mixture makes to the overall volume of the solution. However, there is more to it than this: When one mole of water is added to a large volume of water at 25 °C, the volume increases by 18 cm3. The molar volume of pure water would thus be reported as 18 cm3 mol−1. However, addition of one mole of water to a large volume of pure ethanol results in an increase in volume of only 14 cm3. The reason that the increase is different is that the volume occupied by a given number of water molecules depends upon the identity of the surrounding molecules. The value 14 cm3 is said to be the partial molar volume of water in ethanol. In general, the partial molar volume of a substance X in a mixture is the change in volume per mole of X added to the mixture. The partial molar volumes of the components of a mixture vary with the composition of the mixture, because the environment of the molecules in the mixture changes with the composition. It is the changing molecular environment (and the consequent alteration of the interactions between molecules) that results in the thermodynamic properties of a mixture changing as its composition is altered. If, by Z {\displaystyle Z} , one denotes a generic extensive property of a mixture, it will always be true that it depends on the pressure ( P {\displaystyle P} ), temperature ( T {\displaystyle T} ), and the amount of each component of the mixture (measured in moles, n). For a mixture with q components, this is expressed as

Z = Z ( T , P , n 1 , n 2 , ⋯ , n q ) . {\displaystyle Z=Z(T,P,n_{1},n_{2},\cdots ,n_{q}).}

Now if temperature T and pressure P are held constant, Z = Z ( n 1 , n 2 , ⋯ ) {\displaystyle Z=Z(n_{1},n_{2},\cdots )} is a homogeneous function of degree 1, since doubling the quantities of each component in the mixture will double Z {\displaystyle Z} . More generally, for any λ {\displaystyle \lambda } :

Z ( λ n 1 , λ n 2 , ⋯ , λ n q ) = λ Z ( n 1 , n 2 , ⋯ , n q ) . {\displaystyle Z(\lambda n_{1},\lambda n_{2},\cdots ,\lambda n_{q})=\lambda Z(n_{1},n_{2},\cdots ,n_{q}).}

By Euler's first theorem for homogeneous functions, this implies

Z = ∑ i = 1 q n i Z i ¯ , {\displaystyle Z=\sum _{i=1}^{q}n_{i}{\bar {Z_{i}}},}

where Z i ¯ {\displaystyle {\bar {Z_{i}}}} is the partial molar Z {\displaystyle Z} of component i {\displaystyle i} defined as:

Z i ¯ = ( ∂ Z ∂ n i ) T , P , n j ≠ i . {\displaystyle {\bar {Z_{i}}}=\left({\frac {\partial Z}{\partial n_{i}}}\right)_{T,P,n_{j\neq i}}.}

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Partial molar property

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Partial molar property claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Partial molar property before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Partial molar property ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Partial molar property

In research
Partial molar property appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Partial molar property in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Partial molar property is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Chemical thermodynamics, Molar quantities, Physical chemistry, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Partial molar property outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Partial molar property” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Partial molar property in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Partial molar property means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Partial molar property out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Partial molar property in simple terms?

In thermodynamics, a partial molar property is a quantity which describes the variation of an extensive property of a solution or mixture with changes in the molar composition of the mixture at constant temperature and pressure. It is the partial derivative of the extensive property with respect to…

Why does Partial molar property matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Partial molar property?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Partial molar property.

Tags

  • Chemical thermodynamics
  • Molar quantities
  • Physical chemistry
  • Thermodynamic properties

Keep exploring