Thermodynamic Phase Equilibria

• Certain thermodynamic states find that two (or more) phases may be equally stable

  • thermodynamic phase coexistence

• Phases are distinguished by an order parameter; e.g.

  • density
  • structural order parameter
  • magnetic or electrostatic moment

• Intensive-variable requirements of phase coexistence

  • Ta = Tb
  • Pa = Pb
  • mia = mib, i = 1,…,C

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