Difference between Vapor and Gas in Tabular Form, Definition, Characteristics

Vapor

Vapor, in physics, is referred to as a substance that is in its gaseous phase. It has a temperature that is lower than the critical temperature. The vapor has the capacity to get condensed and become liquid when the pressure is increased without raising the temperature. A vapor and aerosol are not the same. An aerosol is a gas that has both the tiny constituents of liquid and solids.

Characteristics

Vapor is dedicated to the phase of gas where either solid or liquid can exist at the same time that is below the critical temperature. When the vapor is in close association with either the solid or liquid phase, then both the phases will result in equilibrium. Gas basically indicates a fluid phase that can get easily compressed. The process of the formation of clouds is related to the condensation of vapors. The motion possessed by vapor molecules is rotational, translational, and vibrational.

Vapor pressure

Vapor pressure is described as the equilibrium pressure that is exerted by solids or liquids at a particular temperature. The vapor pressure is explained by Raoult's law which says that partial pressure that is possessed by every component is equal to the product of the pure component's vapor pressure as well as the mole fraction of the mixture.

Gas

It is the state where all the particles are apart from each other at quite a distance. It is one of the three fundamental states of matter. In gases, the intermolecular distances are huge and can be easily compressed. The attractive forces that are present between the gas particles are extremely small. The substances that exist in a gaseous state neither have any particular shape or volume. If they are enclosed within a container, it occupies the entire volume. They then exert a finite amount of pressure on the walls of the containers.

Characteristics of gases

• When compared to both solid and liquid, gases always have lower density and are highly compressible.
• All the gaseous particles exert the same amount of pressure on the surfaces of the wall.
• Gases are high in their kinetic energy. And the distance between every gas particle is large.
• The intermolecular forces that are present between the gas molecules can be considered to be negligible.
• Gases occupy the entire volume of any container they are placed in.
• The particles of gas move around in all kinds of directions and end up hitting each other.

Difference between vapor and gas