[Physics] Are saturation temperature and boiling point same thing

phase diagramphase-transitionthermodynamics

In my view they both are same thing.
Boiling point is the temp at which vapor pressure of water becomes greater than pressure outside vessel. Liquid water change it's phase during this. And.
At a given pressure the temperature at which a pure substance change it's phase is saturation temperature.
At 101.325 kPa water boils at 100°C. So in my view it's saturation temperature should also be 100°C at 101.325 kPa.

But in Cengel Boles Thermodynamics book it is written that at pressure 101.325 kPa, saturation temperature of water is 99.97°C.

So is it a misprint or saturation temperature and boiling point are different?

Best Answer

No they are not the same. The saturation temperature is the temperature at which the vapour pressure $p(T)$ of the liquid equals the partial pressure of the vapour in the ambient atmosphere. When $T$ is below saturation the vapour in the atmosphere will condense onto the liquid surface. When $T$ is above saturation the liquid will evaporate from the liquid surface until the local atmospheric vapour pressure has increased to that ($p(T)$) required for equilibrium with the liquid.

The boiling point is the temperature at which the vapour pressure of the liquid equals the total pressure of the surrounding atmosphere. The total pressure is (approximately) the sum of the vapour pressure in the atmosphere together with that of the other gaseos components ($O_2$ and $N_2$ etc.). When the liquid vapour pressure is greater that the total atmospheric pressure, the liquid can turn into vapour throughout the body of the liquid (i.e.boil) rather than merely evaporate from the surface.

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