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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Staccato09 on July 21, 2009, 11:56:47 PM

Title: Reversible and Irreversible Processes
Post by: Staccato09 on July 21, 2009, 11:56:47 PM
"Reversible processes are those that reverse direction whenever an infinitesimal change is made in some property of the system." ('Chemistry the Central Science' by Brown)

Why the caveat "infinitesimal"?  If the change disrupts the equilibrium, causing it to reverse direction so as to counteract the change, why must that change be small?

Any help is appreciated!