The Basics of Boiling Point in Chemistry

The Basics of Boiling Point in ChemistryBoiling point is a measurement of the rate at which water boils. It can be expressed as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of water to the boiling point. The temperature of water is one of the major considerations in any process involving the use of water.The boiling point of water has been measured in different ways throughout the history of science. In ancient times, it was determined by taking the weight of water in grams per degree Celsius. This method is still in use. Other methods involved taking a number of drops of water from the top of a container and letting them remain in the bottom of another container for some time.The chemical change of water has been described in different ways through time. It is known that at high temperatures, the molecules of water become larger. The molecules of water at these temperatures tend to expand. Because the molecules are moving faster than the speed of sound, the molecules are abl e to escape from the heat of the substance. The faster the molecules are escaping the hotter the substance becomes.Most people are familiar with the measurement of boiling point. However, another important term used in chemistry is the vapor pressure. This is simply the amount of pressure an element exerts on another element at a specific temperature. It is useful in determining the density of substances as they react.A substance with a high pressure is more dense than a substance with a low pressure. These two substances are the basis of all other types of reactions. At its most basic level, the vapor pressure is the amount of force exerted on a fluid by another fluid. Vapor pressure is used for everything from moisture in the air to the temperature of snow and ice on a winter day.Hotness is also measured in terms of the vapor pressure. At very high temperatures, water turns into steam, which can be used as an energy source. Steam, like the vapor pressure, is determined by the dens ity of the substance, the temperature, and the molecular size.The boiling point is also important in combustion. The combustion process takes place when there is a lot of heat energy in a substance. The surface area of the material is a determining factor for the temperature of the substance. Heat energy is transferred from the substance's surface to the substance's interior during combustion.The most important thing to keep in mind about the boiling point is that it is not a direct measure of the temperature of a substance. At any given temperature, the vapor pressure of the substance will be higher than the boiling point. Therefore, boiling point only indicates the temperature of a substance, not how hot it gets. The boiling point of water is useful to help with boiling point measurements and as a basis for other applications.