Home > Chemistry > Graphing: independent and dependent variables

What two factors determine the point at which a liquid will boil?

Answer 1

The temperature and the pressure.

As we heat or/and increase the pressure in one substance, we are increasing the kinetic energy of its molecules. When the kinetic energy hits a certain level, the intermolecular forces aren't strong enough to hold it in its phase, and then the substance changes its phase. Each substance has a phase diagram for each phase change, like this - the water phase diagram:

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer 2

Caleb Adams

The boiling point of a liquid is determined by atmospheric pressure and the substance's vapor pressure.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.