Nonvolatile Definition in Chemistry

Nonvolatile liquids do not readily evaporate.
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By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on October 06, 2019

In chemistry, the term nonvolatile refers to a substance that does not readily evaporate into gas under existing conditions. In other words, a nonvolatile material exerts a low vapor pressure and has a slow rate of evaporation.

Water vapor rising from block of ice
Read More
What Is a Volatile Substance in Chemistry?
By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Examples

Glycerin (C3H8O3) is a nonvolatile liquid. Sugar (sucrose) and salt (sodium chloride) are nonvolatile solids.

It's probably easier to imagine a nonvolatile substance if you consider the properties of materials that are volatile. Examples include alcohol, mercury, gasoline, and perfume. Volatile substances readily release their molecules into the air. You typically don't smell nonvolatile materials because they don't easily convert from liquids or solids into gases.

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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Nonvolatile Definition in Chemistry." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/definition-of-nonvolatile-605415. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 26). Nonvolatile Definition in Chemistry. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-nonvolatile-605415 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Nonvolatile Definition in Chemistry." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-nonvolatile-605415 (accessed April 18, 2024).