What term describes the temperature at which a liquid actively starts to vaporize?

The term that describes the temperature at which a liquid actively starts to vaporize is known as the boiling point. This is the specific temperature at which the vapor pressure of the liquid equals the atmospheric pressure surrounding it. At this point, bubbles of vapor form within the liquid and rise to the surface, leading to a rapid phase change from liquid to gas.

Understanding the boiling point is essential in various applications, including fuel systems, where fuel vaporization affects engine efficiency and performance. The boiling point is distinct from other related terms, such as flash point and fire point, which pertain to the temperatures at which a liquid can produce sufficient vapor to ignite under certain conditions, but do not indicate the temperature at which the liquid is actively transforming into vapor. Volatility refers to how readily a substance vaporizes, which is influenced by factors like its boiling point but does not define a specific temperature.