VLE (Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium)

Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium (VLE) refers to the condition where a liquid and its vapor (the gas form of the same substance) coexist in balance. At this point, the rate at which molecules evaporate from the liquid to the vapor equals the rate at which vapor molecules condense back into the liquid. This balance is influenced by temperature and pressure. Understanding VLE is essential in fields like chemistry and engineering, as it helps in designing processes such as distillation, where separating components based on their vaporization characteristics is crucial.