## Reversible vs Irreversible

$w=-P\Delta V$
and
$w=-\int_{V_{1}}^{V_{2}}PdV=-nRTln\frac{V_{2}}{V_{1}}$

Nicole Garrido 2I
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### Reversible vs Irreversible

What makes a reaction or movement irreversible in a system and what makes it reversible? Why are the pressures different?

Anita Wong 1H
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### Re: Reversible vs Irreversible

In a irreversible reaction, the reactants react to form the products, which cannot revert back into reactants. In reversible reactions, as the reactants react with other reactants to form products, the products are reacting with other products to form reactants. Combustion cannot be undone. i am not sure as to why the pressures are different

caseygilles 1E
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### Re: Reversible vs Irreversible

I think the difference between reversible and irreversible work is that infinitesimally small changes in pressure are considered insignificant in irreversible systems and pressure is considered constant; whereas, in reversible processes, external pressure is not constant and infinitesimal changes will affect the system, which is why we use the integral to calculate work in reversible systems.

Ruiting Jia 4D
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### Re: Reversible vs Irreversible

How come infinitesimally small changes affect reversible systems?

Tinisha 1G
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### Re: Reversible vs Irreversible

Irreversible systems have a constant pressure. Reversible systems have a changing external pressure, and we use the integral to add up all the infinitely small work increments from each change in pressure

Tinisha 1G
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### Re: Reversible vs Irreversible

Irreversible systems have a constant pressure. Reversible systems have a changing external pressure, and we use the integral to add up all the infinitely small work increments from each change in pressure

Kathryn 1F
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### Re: Reversible vs Irreversible

So which one does more work? I think it would be reversible bc of the curve, but I'm not entirely sure why

KHuang1L
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### Re: Reversible vs Irreversible

The question will tell you whether it is a reversible or irreversible reaction. The work done will be different because they use different equations to calculate work. Reversible reaction: W=-PV. Irreversible reaction: W=-nrTln(V2/V1).

Timothy_Yueh_4L
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### Re: Reversible vs Irreversible

Kathryn 1F wrote:So which one does more work? I think it would be reversible bc of the curve, but I'm not entirely sure why

Reversible isothermal expansion would do more work because it calculates the amount of work done over the courses of the entire expansion, summing the work done at infinitesimally small intervals.

Kathryn 1F
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:19 am

### Re: Reversible vs Irreversible

Can an isothermal reaction be irreversible? Or is that only for reversible reactions?