What relationship does volatility have with the boiling point of a liquid?

Volatility and the boiling point of a liquid are directly related, meaning that as the volatility of a substance increases, its boiling point typically decreases. Volatility refers to how easily a substance can vaporize; highly volatile liquids tend to convert to gas at lower temperatures, which is indicative of a lower boiling point. For example, substances like acetone are highly volatile and have relatively low boiling points compared to less volatile liquids like water or glycerin, which have higher boiling points.

The connection stems from the energy required to overcome intermolecular forces within the liquid; if a liquid readily vaporizes at lower temperatures, it suggests that these forces are weaker, hence contributing to a lower boiling point. Thus, an understanding of volatility provides insight into the boiling characteristics of different liquids, emphasizing that substances capable of easily transitioning to a gaseous state do so at lower thermal energy levels.