Liquids are common while experimenting in chemistry and biology. While there are a large number of them, some of them have been a part of our everyday applications.
But people get confused while differentiating one from the other. Two such liquids are saturated liquid and compressed liquid.
Key Takeaways
- Saturated liquid and Compressed liquid are both states of matter in thermodynamics.
- A saturated liquid is a liquid at its boiling point, while a Compressed liquid is a liquid that has been compressed to a higher pressure than its vapor pressure.
- Saturated liquid cannot be compressed further without changing its state, while Compressed liquid can be further compressed with increased pressure.
Saturated Liquid vs Compressed Liquid
A saturated liquid is a liquid that is in equilibrium with its own vapor at a specific temperature and pressure. It is used as a reference point in thermodynamics. A compressed liquid, is a liquid that has been compressed past its saturation point. It has a higher energy content.
A saturated Liquid is a solute-rich liquid in which no more solute can be dissolved. At that particular temperature as the intermolecular spaces are tightly packed.
Saturated liquids are thicker in nature as compared to the condition when there is less solute dissolved. A compressed liquid is a liquid that is compressed in volume.
As the intermolecular spaces are forcefully closed tightly with each other by the effect of applied external pressure. Compressed liquids are either gaseous or liquid in nature.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Saturated Liquid | Compressed Liquid |
|---|---|---|
| Properties | No more solute can be dissolved. | Compressed in volume. |
| Preparation | Adding excessive amounts of solute to a liquid. | Applying external pressure until the liquid or gas compresses. |
| Nature | It is either in thick liquid or ordinary liquid form. | It is either in liquid or gaseous form. |
| Temperature Dependency | Saturation increases with an increase in temperature. | Compression decreases with an increase in temperature. |
| Volatility | Not as volatile. | Highly volatile. |
What is Saturated Liquid?
A saturated liquid is a type of liquid that has excessive amounts of solute to the point where no additional solute can be dissolved in that amount of solvent at that particular temperature.
The stage at which no more solute can be dissolved is known as the saturation point of the liquid. In saturated liquids, the intermolecular spaces are tightly packed due to excessive solute content.
However, the intermolecular spaces also depend on temperature. If the temperature of the surroundings is increased, the intermolecular spaces between the molecules loosen up.
And as a result, more solute can be dissolved in the same amount of solvent. Therefore, the saturation capacity of a liquid is directly proportional to an increase in temperature.
When more solute is dissolved in a liquid at a high temperature, the resulting liquid can sometimes be thick and translucent when kept at a normal temperature.
Furthermore, most saturated liquids are not volatile and can easily be stored. Saturated liquids do not contribute to real-life applications.
Nevertheless, saturated liquids are a major step in many lab experiments in both chemistry and biology. To perform several experimental procedures.
The experimenter needs to change the saturation levels of liquids to balance the dissolution of solutes in liquids.
What is Compressed Liquid?
The compressed liquid is compressed in volume as the intermolecular spaces are forcefully closed tightly with each other by the effect of pressure.
A compressed liquid is prepared by applying external pressure to the gas or a liquid that is present at a high temperature since temperature affects the intermolecular force between the molecules.
It also affects the compressing capability of substances. As the temperature increases, the intermolecular gaps start to loosen up, resulting in the liquid’s expansion.
As the substance cools down, it compresses again. Therefore, the compression of liquid is inversely proportional to an increase in temperature.
Compressed liquids directly result in real-life applications. For example, gas cylinders and deodorants.
If a bottle of deodorant is shaken, it seems like the bottle is filled with liquid. But as soon as the deodorant is sprayed, the same liquid comes out in the gaseous form.
This is because the deodorant gas is compressed into liquid form and stored in a closed container. All compressed liquids are highly volatile.
Which means that they easily catch fire in the open. Due to this, compressed liquids are stored in vessels like glass and aluminium to avoid any external temperature or pressure.
Main Differences Between Saturated Liquid and Compressed Liquid
- Saturated liquids have a high imbalance of solute and solvent, whereas compressed liquids are balanced.
- Saturated liquids are not volatile but compressed liquids are highly volatile and easily catch fire.
- Saturated liquids exist in liquid form only whereas compressed liquids can exist in both liquid and gaseous form depending on the pressure.
- Saturated liquids are consistent in volume, whereas the volume of compressed liquids varies with pressure and temperature.
- Saturated liquids don’t have real-life applications as they are only experimented with in labs. On the other hand, gas cylinders and deodorants are direct examples of compressed liquids.
Last Updated : 11 June, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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