To determine the boiling point of a refrigerant, which property must you consider?

To determine the boiling point of a refrigerant, the key property to consider is pressure. The boiling point of a substance is dependent on the pressure surrounding it; as pressure increases, the boiling point also increases, and conversely, a decrease in pressure leads to a lower boiling point. This relationship is captured in phase diagrams and is fundamental to understanding how refrigerants behave in refrigeration cycles.

For instance, in many refrigeration systems, the refrigerant evaporates at a specific pressure which corresponds to its boiling point at that pressure. Therefore, to manage the efficiency and effectiveness of the refrigeration process, it’s crucial to monitor and control the pressure to keep the refrigerant within its desired phase change regime.

While temperature, volume, and density are important properties of refrigerants, they are not the primary factors that determine the boiling point. Thus, it is essential to focus on pressure when discussing the boiling point of a refrigerant.