Phase transition

In physics, a phase transition is the transformation of a thermodynamic system from one phase to another. The distinguishing characteristic of a phase transition is an abrupt sudden change in one or more physical properties, in particular the heat capacity, with a small change in a thermodynamic variable such as the temperature. Examples of phase transitions are:

Classification of phase transitions

Ehrenfest classification

The first attempt at classifying phase transitions was the Ehrenfest classification scheme, which grouped phase transitions based on the degree of non-analyticity involved. Though useful, Ehrenfest's classification is flawed, as we will discuss in the next section.

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Under this scheme, phase transitions were labelled by the lowest derivative of the free energy that is discontinuous at the transition. First-order phase transitions exhibit a discontinuity in the first derivative of the free energy with a thermodynamic variable. The various solid/liquid/gas transitions are classified as first-order transitions because they involve a discontinuous change in density (which is the first derivative of the free energy with respect to chemical potential.) Second-order phase transitions have a discontinuity in a second derivative of the free energy. These include the ferromagnetic phase transition in materials such as iron, where the magnetization, which is the first derivative of the free energy with the applied magnetic field strength, increases continuously from zero as the temperature is lowered below the Curie temperature. The magnetic susceptibility, the second derivative of the free energy with the field, changes discontinuously. Under the Ehrenfest classication scheme, there could in principle be third, fourth, and higher-order phase transitions.

Related Topics:
Iron - Susceptibility

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Modern classification of phase transitions

The Ehrenfest scheme is an inaccurate method of classifying phase transitions, for it is based on the mean field theory of phases (to be described in a later section.) Mean field theory is inaccurate in the vicinity of phase transitions, as it neglects the role of thermodynamic fluctuations. For instance, it predicts a finite discontinuity in the heat capacity at the ferromagnetic transition, which is implied by Ehrenfest's definition of "second-order" transitions. In real ferromagnets, the heat capacity diverges to infinity at the transition.

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In the modern classification scheme, phase transitions are divided into two broad categories, named similarly to the Ehrenfest classes:

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The first-order phase transitions are those that involve a latent heat. During such a transition, a system either absorbs or releases a fixed (and typically large) amount of energy. Because energy cannot be instantaneously transferred between the system and its environment, first-order transitions are associated with "mixed-phase regimes" in which some parts of the system have completed the transition and others have not. This phenomenon is familiar to anyone who has boiled a pot of water: the water does not instantly turn into gas, but forms a turbulent mixture of water and water vapor bubbles. Mixed-phase systems are difficult to study, because their dynamics are violent and hard to control. However, many important phase transitions fall in this category, including the solid/liquid/gas transitions.

Related Topics:
Latent heat - Water - Turbulent - Water vapor

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The second class of phase transitions are the continuous phase transitions, also called second-order phase transitions. These have no associated latent heat. Examples of second-order phase transitions are the ferromagnetic transition, the superfluid transition, and Bose-Einstein condensation.

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Several transitions are known as the infinite-order phase transitions.

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They are continuous but break no symmetries (see Symmetry below). The most famous example is the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in the two-dimensional XY model. Many quantum phase transitions in two-dimensional electron gases belong to this class.

Related Topics:
Kosterlitz-Thouless transition - XY model - Quantum phase transition - Electron gas

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