Differentiate between gas and vapour?
Vapour Gas A vapor is a substance which has experienced a phase change.
A gas is a substance which has not, and will not experience a phase change.
Vapor is formed by a substance which is a solid or a liquid at room temperature, that its natural state of matter is either a solid or a liquid.
The natural state of matter for a gas is a gas.
Example: steam would be a vapor because at room temperature, it would be water, which is a liquid.
Nitrogen (a gas) at room temperature would still be in a gaseous state, so it is a gas.
Vapour is not a state of matter
Gas is a state of matter
The word, "vapor" suggests a gas that was formed by evaporation of something that is a liquid at room temperature.
While gas is a naturally occuring state of matter.
While a vapor is a substance above its boiling point temperature.
A gas is a substance above its critical temperature
| Vapour | Gas |
| A vapor is a substance which has experienced a phase change. | A gas is a substance which has not, and will not experience a phase change. |
| Vapor is formed by a substance which is a solid or a liquid at room temperature, that its natural state of matter is either a solid or a liquid. | The natural state of matter for a gas is a gas. |
| Example: steam would be a vapor because at room temperature, it would be water, which is a liquid. | Nitrogen (a gas) at room temperature would still be in a gaseous state, so it is a gas. |
| Vapour is not a state of matter | Gas is a state of matter |
| The word, "vapor" suggests a gas that was formed by evaporation of something that is a liquid at room temperature. | While gas is a naturally occuring state of matter. |
| While a vapor is a substance above its boiling point temperature. | A gas is a substance above its critical temperature |
