What effect does (a) decreasing the pressure or (b) increasing the pressure above a liquid have on the liquid’s boiling point?
At boiling point the pressure of vapors of the liquid equals the pressure above the liquid. Also, the
pressure is directly proportional to temperature as shown by Gay-Lussac’s law: p = CT, where C –the
constant.
a) Hence, if the external pressure decreases the liquid boils at the lower temperature. Boiling point
decreases;
b) On contrary, increasing the pressure increases the boiling point.