discuss and differentiate between equilibrium and steady state. use examples to illustrate your answer.
discuss and differentiate between equilibrium and steady state. use examples to illustrate your answer.
Answer
Brief Explanations:
- Equilibrium:
- Definition: A state where there is no net change in a system over time. All forces or fluxes are balanced.
- Example in Physics: A book resting on a table. The gravitational force pulling the book down is balanced by the normal force of the table pushing up. There is no net force, and the book remains at rest. In a chemical reaction, like (N_2 + 3H_2\rightleftharpoons2NH_3), at equilibrium, the rate of the forward reaction (formation of (NH_3)) is equal to the rate of the reverse reaction (decomposition of (NH_3)).
- Steady - state:
- Definition: A state where the system's properties do not change with time, but there can be a flow of matter or energy through the system. Inputs and outputs are balanced.
- Example in Biology (Cellular Metabolism): In a cell, there is a continuous influx of nutrients (e.g., glucose) and an efflux of waste products (e.g., carbon dioxide). The concentrations of key metabolites (e.g., ATP) remain relatively constant over time. In a river ecosystem, water is continuously flowing in (input) and flowing out (output), but the overall volume of water in a particular reach of the river (assuming no significant evaporation or precipitation changes in that short - term view) remains relatively constant.
Answer:
Equilibrium is a state with no net change (e.g., book on table, chemical reaction equilibrium). Steady - state is a state with constant properties over time despite flows (e.g., cellular metabolism, river ecosystem).