What happens to vapor pressure when a liquid is heated in a closed container?

When a liquid is heated in a closed container, the vapor pressure increases as the temperature rises. This occurs because heating the liquid provides more energy to its molecules, allowing more of them to escape into the vapor phase and effectively increasing the number of gas molecules above the liquid. As more molecules enter the vapor phase, the vapor pressure rises until it reaches a point where it can change back to liquid through condensation.

In a closed system, this increase in vapor pressure continues until it reaches the saturation vapor pressure at the given temperature. In this state, the rate of evaporation from the liquid equals the rate of condensation back into the liquid, establishing a dynamic equilibrium. Eventually, if enough heat is applied, this vapor pressure can become equal to the atmospheric pressure in the case of external pressure or the internal pressure of the container, which can lead to boiling if that point is reached.

This relationship shows that the vapor pressure does not simply remain constant or become irrelevant; instead, it is a dynamic property that is directly influenced by temperature changes and the energy state of the liquid molecules.