Question

What is the physical reason for the fact that the chemical potential of a pure substance increases as pressure is raised?

Answer 1

Chemical potential is molar gibbs free energy for any substance.The change in molar gibbs free energy at a constant temperature with the change in pressure (for one phase of the substance ) is given by the equation,

(/)T=Vm   ,where Vm=molar volume of the pure substance.

For any pure substance molar volume is fixed for one phase (say solid),so any increase in pressure ,increases the chemical potential,as volume is fixed.