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In thermodynamics, a critical point (or critical state) is the end point of a phase equilibrium curve. One example is the liquid–vapor critical point, the end point of the pressure–temperature curve that designates conditions under which a liquid and its vapor can coexist.
The compressibility factor at the critical point, which is defined as =, where the subscript indicates physical quantities measured at the critical point, is predicted to be a constant independent of substance by many equations of state.
In thermodynamics, the reduced properties of a fluid are a set of state variables scaled by the fluid's state properties at its critical point.These dimensionless thermodynamic coordinates, taken together with a substance's compressibility factor, provide the basis for the simplest form of the theorem of corresponding states.
In thermodynamics, a critical line is the higher-dimensional equivalent of a critical point. [1] It is the locus of contiguous critical points in a phase diagram.These lines cannot occur for a single substance due to the phase rule, but they can be observed in systems with more variables, such as mixtures.
As the critical temperature is approached (300 K), the density of the gas at equilibrium becomes higher, and that of the liquid lower. At the critical point, (304.1 K and 7.38 MPa (73.8 bar)), there is no difference in density, and the 2 phases become one fluid phase. Thus, above the critical temperature a gas cannot be liquefied by pressure.
Boca Raton, Florida, 2003; Section 6, Fluid Properties; Critical Constants. Also agrees with Celsius values from Section 4: Properties of the Elements and Inorganic Compounds, Melting, Boiling, Triple, and Critical Point Temperatures of the Elements Estimated accuracy for Tc and Pc is indicated by the number of digits.
The critical point is described by a conformal field theory. According to the renormalization group theory, the defining property of criticality is that the characteristic length scale of the structure of the physical system, also known as the correlation length ξ, becomes infinite. This can happen along critical lines in phase space.
A saturation dome uses the projection of a P–v–T diagram (pressure, specific volume, and temperature) onto the P–v plane. The points that create the left-hand side of the dome represent the saturated liquid states, while the points on the right-hand side represent the saturated vapor states (commonly referred to as the “dry” region).