An adsorption isobar represents the variation in the amount of gas adsorbed () with absolute tempera — Surface Chemistry Chemistry Question
Question
An adsorption isobar represents the variation in the amount of gas adsorbed ($x/m$) with absolute temperature ($T$) while the equilibrium pressure is held constant. For a process involving chemical adsorption, what is the characteristic shape of this isobar?
💡 Solution & Explanation
Chemisorption involves chemical bond formation and therefore behaves like a chemical reaction that requires an activation energy. Thus, adsorption initially increases with temperature as activation energy is supplied. At higher temperatures, the thermal energy overcomes the chemical bond strength, increasing the rate of desorption and causing the overall adsorption to decrease, resulting in a bell-shaped curve.