Why does the boundary between liquid phase and gaseous phase disppear on heating a liquid upto critical temperature in a closed vessel ? In this situation what will be the state of the substance?
In a closed vessel, it is essential to know that below the critical point (i.e., critical temperature and critical pressure), the surface of separation between the liquid decreases while that of the vapour due to compression.
At the critical point, the densities of the liquid and that of the vapour become equal and the surface of separation disappears i.e., the liquid and the gaseous state become not separable. In other words, the meniscus is no longer visible.
When a liquid is heated up to its critical temperature in a closed vessel, it does not pass through a two-phase region and substances remain in one phase. There is a continuity between a gaseous and liquid state. The term fluid is used for either a liquid or a gas to recognize this continuity. Liquid and gas can be distinguished only when the fluid is below its critical temperature and the surfaces separating them can be seen. At the critical temperature, liquid passes into gaseous state continuously and the surface separating the two phases disappears. A gas below the critical temperature can be liquefied by applying pressure