Re: vapor pressure and boiling point

Alexis, You have a great question.  After reading you question, I thought 
that the results you saw were incorrect, but after thinking about it 
more,I am sure what you saw when the temperature rose IS what you should 
see.  If you think about what is going on, the water vapor (steam) is 
saturating the air above the boiling water.  Eventually you are going to 
get so much water into the air to the point where water does not want to 
boil.  That is you are bringing the vapor pressure of the boiling water 
and the steam to where they are almost the same.  Essentially, you have 
overcome the vapor pressure of the water in solution by having a saturated 
air "solution" above it.  So the water will begin to cool because it is 
slightly lower than the boiling point.  You will still see some boiling 
becasue there is an equilibrium between molecules of steam condensing to 
water and the water reboiling to replace the condensed ones. When you cool 
the steam it converts to water, this conversion lowers the vapor pressure 
on the saturated air above the water.  And when that steam is removed, the 
water will heat up to boiling again to replace those molecules of water 
you condensed.  I sure hope this makes sense.  It seems confusing but if 
you will remember that you are removing molecules of water in the vapor 
state which allows room for more water molecules, the water will boil.  If 
the steam is not allowed to be released you can actually stop the water 
from boiling.  You can also get water to boil at room temperature if you 
lower the vapor pressure above the surface.  Good luck!  Carlin Gregory, 
William-Texas Gas