Volatility

Volatility is the tendency of a substance to enter the gas phase under specified conditions. It is commonly compared using vapor pressure at a stated temperature.

Vapor pressure: The pressure exerted by a vapor in equilibrium with its liquid or solid at a given temperature. It directly measures how readily a substance’s particles escape into the gas phase.
Phase equilibrium: A state in which phases coexist without a net change in their amounts over time. Vapor pressure is defined through equilibrium between condensed matter and vapor.
Distillation: A separation process that vaporizes a mixture and condenses components according to differences in volatility. Different volatilities allow components to separate during vaporization and condensation.
Vaporization: The phase transition in which a substance becomes a gas or vapor. Volatility describes a tendency toward vaporization, rather than the transition itself.
Intermolecular force: An attractive or repulsive interaction between molecules that is weaker than a chemical bond. Stronger attractions generally make it harder for molecules to escape into vapor.
Chemical potential: A thermodynamic quantity describing how a system’s free energy changes when matter is added. Phase equilibrium occurs when chemical potentials match across coexisting phases.
Gas chromatography: An analytical method that separates vaporized compounds as a carrier gas moves them through a column. Volatility affects when compounds enter the gas phase and travel through the column.
Vapor pressure deficit: The difference between saturation vapor pressure and the actual vapor pressure in air. Unlike a substance’s volatility, this atmospheric measure depends on how unsaturated the surrounding air is.
Boiling point: The temperature at which a liquid’s vapor pressure equals the surrounding pressure. A more volatile liquid generally reaches its boiling condition at a lower temperature.
Gibbs free energy: A thermodynamic potential that predicts spontaneity and equilibrium at constant temperature and pressure. Free-energy differences help determine which phase is favored under specified conditions.

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