The Importance of Henry's Law

 

Henry’s law tells us that for dilute solutions, when a volatile substance is in equilibrium between solution and the vapour phase the fraction in solution is proportional to the fraction in the vapour phase.

In other words we can only absorb so much before the absorbing medium becomes saturated.

Similar laws apply to solid sorbent/vapour interactions.


Task 3:
  1. Find a formal definition of Henry’s law and represent graphically what it means. (See any first year physical chemistry textbook or 'A' level text)
  2. What does this tell us about design of removal processes for controlling vapour phase pollutants?