Define the terms: Boiling point.

The boiling point is the temperature at which a substance changes from its liquid phase to its gaseous phase at a given pressure. It is the temperature at which the vapor pressure of the substance equals the atmospheric pressure or the pressure exerted on the liquid.

When a liquid is heated, its molecules gain energy and move faster. As the temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of the molecules rises. At the boiling point, the increased kinetic energy of the molecules overcomes the intermolecular forces holding the liquid together, and vaporization occurs throughout the liquid, forming bubbles of gas within the liquid. These bubbles rise to the surface and escape into the surrounding environment as vapor or gas.

The boiling point is considered a physical property of a substance and can vary depending on the pressure. At higher pressures, the boiling point increases because the increased pressure raises the vapor pressure needed to overcome the atmospheric pressure. Conversely, at lower pressures, the boiling point decreases since less vapor pressure is required to match the lower pressure.

The boiling point is often used as a characteristic property to identify and classify substances. It helps determine the conditions under which a substance can exist as a liquid or a gas, and it is valuable in various scientific, industrial, and everyday applications, such as cooking, distillation, and chemical processes.