If a product has a vapor pressure of 8.6 ATM, it has a _________ boiling point.

If a product has a vapor pressure of 8.6 ATM, it has a _________ boiling point.

• A. Low
• B. High
• C. Moderate
• D. Unknown

Answer: (A)

The boiling point is the temperature at which a liquid’s vapor pressure equals the surrounding pressure. A high vapor pressure at a given temperature means the liquid can reach that surrounding pressure with far less heat, so its boiling point is low. With a vapor pressure of 8.6 atm, it would reach 1 atm long before reaching typical room temperatures, causing it to boil at a low temperature. Such a substance is very volatile and can vaporize readily, so treat it as having a low boiling point and manage with strong ventilation and precautions against vapors.

The boiling point is the temperature at which a liquid’s vapor pressure equals the surrounding pressure. A high vapor pressure at a given temperature means the liquid can reach that surrounding pressure with far less heat, so its boiling point is low. With a vapor pressure of 8.6 atm, it would reach 1 atm long before reaching typical room temperatures, causing it to boil at a low temperature. Such a substance is very volatile and can vaporize readily, so treat it as having a low boiling point and manage with strong ventilation and precautions against vapors.