The Clausius-Clapeyron equation describes the equilibrium between a liquid and its vapor at its boiling point. It can be derived from the fact that, at equilibrium, the Gibbs free energy of the liquid and vapor states are equal. But, the free energy of the liquid state varies with temperature according to the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation
á(G/T)/áT = -H/T™ or,
á(G/T)/á(1/T) = H
The free energy of the vapor state varies with temperature according to the same law, but also varies with pressure. We make the assumption that, at normal laboratory pressures, the free enrgy of the liquid is independent of pressure, and that the vapor behaves like an ideal gas. The dependence of free energy on pressure is given by
ÎG = RT ln P
so that, for the vapor,
á(G/T)/á(1/T) = H + R álnP/á(1/T)
Combining the change in the free energy of the liquid with that of the vapor, we have
á(ÎG/T)/á(1/T) = ÎH + RálnP/á(1/T)
But, if ÎG is to be zero, then we have
álnP/á(1/T) = -ÎH/R
which is the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. It tells us that a plot of lnP vs 1/T should be linear, with slope -ÎH/R.