Question

Choose the correct statement with respect to the vapour pressure of a liquid among the following.

• A. Increases linearly with increasing temperature.
• B. Increases non-linearly with increasing temperature.
• C. Decreases linearly with increasing temperature.
• D. Decreases non-linearly with increasing temperature.

Answer 1

The correct option is B Increases non-linearly with increasing temperature.

Vapour pressure is defined as the pressure exerted by the vapours above the liquid surface in equilibrium with the liquid at a given temperature. The vapour pressure of a liquid increases non-linearly with increasing temperature.

This is because kinetic energy is the function of temperature which means that as the temperature is increased, more molecules will have greater kinetic energies and thus they can escape from the surface of the liquid to the vapour phase resulting in higher vapour pressure.

Option B is correct.