Lesson Plan

Lesson: Phase Diagrams

Aim: To investigate the equilibrium between phases of a system and the phase diagrams of water and
carbon dioxide.

Learning Outcomes :

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to :

1. explain the terms : phase, equilibrium and closed system.
2. interpret phase diagrams as curves describing the conditions of equilibrium between phases and as
regions each representing a single phase.
3. sketch the phase diagram for water and carbon dioxide.
4. predict how a phase may change with changes in temperature and pressure.

Assumed prior knowledge :

Students should already :

1. be familiar with the concept of boiling, melting, condensation and sublimation.
2. be able to distinguish the difference in movement and arrangement of particles in the three different
states : solid, liquid and gas.

Underlying Principles

1. Making the invisible, visible.

2. Enabling students to know what to look for.

Time taken to complete the activities : 80 minutes

Differentiation

Questions in the student notes are designed to enable all students to complete the activity. The pop-up
answers are provided for the students to view when they have considered their responses. Worksheet
questions include questions that require recall, understanding and application of the new concepts
learned.

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 1

 Development of Lesson :

No. Steps Strategy Resources

1 Set Induction. • Teacher to quiz students on the
(Ascertaining prior differences between solid, liquid and
knowledge and gaseous particles in terms of their
introducing lesson arrangement and movement.
topic for the day).
• Teacher to use ice and ‘dry ice’ to
illustrate changes in state and to
introduce topic lesson.

2 Student Activity • Teacher to go through Activities 1 & 2 • Courseware

with the students.

• Activity 1 : Phases of a system.

Students get to view the change in

movement and arrangement of particles
in a substance as it undergoes changes
in state. Students are introduced to the
concept of phases of a system and the
state of equilibrium between the liquid
and vapour state of a substance.

• Activity 2 : Phase diagrams

Students get to examine the various parts

of a phase diagram. They will be guided
on how to use these phase diagrams to
predict the physical state of water and
carbon dioxide at different conditions of
temperature and pressure.

3 Evaluation • Students to answer questions in the • Worksheet

student worksheet on their own.

4 Extension activity • Students to go through the extension

activities on their own. • Reference
books

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 2

 Worksheet Answers

1. Phases of a system

1.1 a. A phase is any part of a system, which is homogenous and separated from other parts of the
system by a distinct boundary.

b. A closed system is one in which there is no loss or gain of materials to or from the surroundings.

c. Equilibrium is the state at which the properties of a system do not change with time.

1.2 a. Melting point is the temperature at which a solid is in equilibrium with its liquid at a given
pressure.

b. Boiling point is the temperature at which a liquid is in equilibrium with its vapour at a given
pressure.

2. Phase diagrams

2.1 a.

b. O is the triple point and G is the critical point.

Triple point is the conditions of temperature and pressure at which the solid phase, liquid
phase and gas phase of the substance can exist together at equilibrium.
Critical point is the conditions of temperature and pressure beyond which the liquid and gas
phases merge and become indistinguishable.

c. Solid state.

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 3

 d. At point X, substance W exists as a solid. When substance W is heated, it will reach a state
where the solid and liquid W are at equilibrium (on line OF). After this, substance W will exist
as a liquid. When the temperature reaches the line OG, W will exist as liquid and gas in
equilibrium.
When the temperature rises, the substance W will exist as a gas.
At 400 oC, substance W would exist as a gas.

e. When a substance changes directly from a solid to a gas, it is said to sublime.

f. Curve OH

2.2 a.

b. The pressure in the container must be higher than 5 atm and the temperature must be higher
o o
than -57 C but lower than 31 C.

2.3

2.4 a. i. PR represents the conditions of temperature and pressure where solid and liquid water
can exist together at equilibrium. This line represents the variation of the melting point of
water with pressure.

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 4

 ii. It has a negative gradient.

iii. It means that the melting point of water decreases with increasing pressure. When water
changes from liquid state to solid state, its volume increases.

b. i. The substance would change from a gas to a solid.

ii. The substance would condense from a gas to a liquid.

c. Water would exist as a solid. These conditions of temperature and pressure are found in the
area representing the solid phase in the phase diagram of water.

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 5