Which component typically has a higher vapor pressure at a given temperature?

The choice indicating that a more volatile liquid typically has a higher vapor pressure at a given temperature is based on the fundamental properties of volatility and vapor pressure. Volatility refers to how easily a substance vaporizes; more volatile substances tend to be those that evaporate quickly at room temperature.

Higher vapor pressure signifies that more molecules of the liquid are escaping into the vapor phase at a given temperature. Therefore, volatile liquids have a significant tendency to become gaseous, resulting in a higher concentration of vapor above the liquid in a closed container, which translates to a higher vapor pressure.

In contrast, substances with larger molecular weights often have stronger intermolecular forces that make them less likely to vaporize, thereby exhibiting lower vapor pressures. Organic compounds, while they can include both volatile and non-volatile substances, do not uniformly indicate higher vapor pressure without considering their specific properties. Similarly, a saturated solution is a point at which a solvent contains the maximum concentration of solute, typically leading to lower effective vapor pressure of the solvent compared to pure solvents.

Choosing the more volatile liquid reflects an understanding of how volatility directly correlates with vapor pressure, reinforcing the connection between a substance’s tendency to evaporate and the measurable property of vapor pressure.