What is the result when a substance reaches its saturation point?

When a substance reaches its saturation point, it is at a specific temperature and pressure where it can coexist in both liquid and vapor phases. At this point, any additional heat absorbed by the substance does not increase its temperature but instead facilitates the transition from liquid to vapor—this process is known as vaporization.

For example, when water reaches its boiling point at atmospheric pressure (100 degrees Celsius), it starts to vaporize into steam. This occurs because the energy absorbed at the saturation point is used for breaking the intermolecular forces holding the liquid molecules together, converting them into vapor without a change in temperature.

Understanding this concept is essential in HVAC systems, particularly in applications involving refrigerants, where the phase change is critical to the cooling process.