The boiling point of a substance, the temperature at which it transitions from a liquid to a gaseous state, can be determined using the thermodynamic properties of enthalpy and entropy. Specifically, the boiling point is defined as the temperature at which the Gibbs Free Energy change (G) for the vaporization process equals zero. This occurs when the change in enthalpy (H), representing the energy required for the phase transition, is balanced by the change in entropy (S), which reflects the increase in disorder during vaporization. The relationship is expressed mathematically as T = H/S, where T is the boiling point in Kelvin.
Understanding the connection between enthalpy, entropy, and boiling point is fundamental in chemical engineering, materials science, and other related fields. Knowledge of a compound’s boiling point is critical for designing distillation processes, predicting reaction outcomes, and characterizing novel materials. Historically, empirical methods were primarily used to determine boiling points. However, the development of thermodynamics provided a theoretical framework for calculating this crucial property, offering a more predictive and insightful approach.