VAPOR PRESSURE A change from the liquid state to the gaseous state is known as vaporization.

The vaporization occurs because of continuous escaping of the molecules through the free liquid surface. Vaporisation depends on i. Nature of liquid : Low or high volatile. Petrol is highly volatile and diesel is low volatile ii. iii. Temperature of liquid : Vaporization increases with rise in temperature. Condition of the atmosphere adjoining it.

Consider a liquid which is confined in a closed vessel. Let the temperature of liquid and its surrounding be the same. By the nature of the liquid the molecules of liquid will start vaporizing. When vaporization takes place, the molecules escapes from the free surface of the liquid. After certain time an equilibrium condition will be reached, i.e.,the rate at which the molecules are leaving the liquid surface will be the same as the rate of return molecules i.e., rate of vaporization and condensation is same. In this condition the air above the liquid is saturated with liquid vapor molecules. The partial pressure of water vapor of saturated air exerted on the liquid surface is called vapor pressure of the liquid. Vapor pressure increases with increase in temperature. A liquid will boil if the vapor pressure of the liquid becomes greater or equal to the surrounding pressure (Pressure above the liquid surface). Thus a liquid may boil even at ordinary temperature, if the pressure above the liquid surface is reduced so as to be equal or less than the vapour pressure of the liquid at that te mperature.