Page:Scientific Papers of Josiah Willard Gibbs.djvu/139

confined to a small part of an indefinitely large fluid mass will cause an ultimate change of state not indefinitely small in degree throughout the whole mass. In the discussion of stability as indicated by fundamental equations it will be convenient to use the term in this sense.^[1]

In determining for any given positive values of $T$ and $P$ and any given values whatever of $M_{1},M_{2},...M_{n}$ whether the expression (133) is capable of a negative value for any phase of the components $S_{1},S_{2},...S_{n}$, and if not, whether it is capable of the value zero for any other phase than that of which the stability is in question, it is only necessary to consider phases having the temperature $T$ and pressure $P$. For we may assume that a mass of matter represented by any values of $m_{1},m_{2},...m_{n}$ is capable of at least one state of not unstable equilibrium (which may or may not be a homogeneous state) at this temperature and pressure. It may easily be shown that for such a state the value of $\epsilon =T\eta -Pv$ must be as small as for any other state of the same matter. The same will therefore be true of the value of (133). Therefore if this expression is capable of a negative value for any mass whatever, it will have a negative value for that mass at the temperature $T$ and pressure $P$. And if this mass is not homogeneous, the value of (133) must be negative for at least one of its homogeneous parts. So also, if the expression (133) is not capable of a negative value for any phase of the components, any phase for which it has the value zero must have the temperature $T$ and the pressure $P$.

1. If we wish to know the stability of the given fluid when exposed to a constant temperature, or to a constant pressure, or to both, we have only to suppose that there is enclosed in the same envelop with the given fluid another body (which cannot combine with the fluid) of which the fundamental equation is $\epsilon =T\eta$, or $\epsilon =-Pv$, or $\epsilon T\eta -Pv$, as the case may be ($T$ and $P$ denoting the constant temperature and pressure, which of course must be those of the given fluid), and to apply the criteria of page 57 to the whole system. When it is possible to assign such values to the constants in (133) that the value of the expression shall be zero for the given fluid and positive for every other phase of the same components, the value of (133) for the whole system will be less when the system is in its given condition than when it is in any other. (Changes of form and position of the given fluid are of course regarded as immaterial. ) Hence the fluid is stable. When it is not possible to assign such values to the constants that the value of (133) shall be zero for the given fluid and zero or positive for any other phase, the fluid is of course unstable. In the remaining case, when it is possible to assign such values to the constants that the value of (133) shall be zero for the given fluid and zero or positive for every other phase, but not without the value zero for some other phase, the state of equilibrium of the fluid as stable or neutral will be determined by the possibility of satisfying, for any other than the given condition of the fluid, equations like (134), in which, however, the first or the second or both are to be stricken out, according as we are considering the stability of the fluid for constant temperature, or for constant pressure, or for both. The number of coexistent phases will sometimes exceed by one or two the number of the remaining equations, and then the equilibrium of the fluid will be neutral in respect to one or two independent changes.