Which of the following statement is true about vapor pressure of a liq...
Explanation: The vapor pressure of a liquid at a given temperature is given by the pressure ex-erted by the saturated vapor on the liquid surface. When the vapor is saturated, an equilibrium exists between the liquid and the vapor phases. The number of molecules leaving the liquid surface is equal to the number of molecules entering the liquid surface. Hence, it is obvious that vapor pressure will be related to molecular activity and consequently to temperature. With the increase in temperature molecular activity increases as a result of which vapor pressure increases.
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Which of the following statement is true about vapor pressure of a liq...
The correct statement about vapor pressure of a liquid is option 'A': Vapor pressure is closely related to molecular activity and the temperature of the liquid.
Explanation:
1. What is vapor pressure?
Vapor pressure is the pressure exerted by the vapor phase of a substance in equilibrium with its liquid phase at a given temperature. It is a measure of the tendency of a substance to evaporate into the gas phase.
2. Relationship between vapor pressure and molecular activity:
Vapor pressure is closely related to the molecular activity of the liquid. The higher the molecular activity, the higher the vapor pressure. This is because molecules in a liquid are in constant motion and some of them have enough energy to overcome the intermolecular forces and escape into the gas phase. Therefore, a higher molecular activity leads to more molecules escaping into the gas phase, resulting in a higher vapor pressure.
3. Relationship between vapor pressure and temperature:
Vapor pressure is also closely related to the temperature of the liquid. As the temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of the molecules increases. This means that a greater proportion of molecules have enough energy to overcome the intermolecular forces and escape into the gas phase. Consequently, the vapor pressure increases with increasing temperature. On the other hand, at lower temperatures, fewer molecules have sufficient energy to escape, resulting in a lower vapor pressure.
4. Independence of vapor pressure on molecular activity and temperature:
Contrary to options 'B' and 'D', vapor pressure is indeed affected by both molecular activity and temperature. The higher the molecular activity and temperature, the higher the vapor pressure. The statement in option 'C' is incorrect as vapor pressure is affected by both molecular activity and temperature.
In conclusion, the true statement about vapor pressure of a liquid is that it is closely related to molecular activity and the temperature of the liquid.
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