Which of the following is a characteristic of a saturated vapor?

A saturated vapor is defined as a vapor that is in equilibrium with its liquid phase at a given pressure and temperature. One key characteristic of a saturated vapor is that it is at its boiling point under specific pressure conditions. This means that the vapor exists at the maximum energy state where any additional heat added to the system will not raise its temperature, but instead, it will cause a phase change as the liquid converts to vapor.

When a substance is in the saturated vapor state, it indicates that it has absorbed enough heat to completely vaporize the liquid at its boiling point, given its pressure. Thus, it cannot increase its temperature further while remaining in a saturated state; any heat added would lead to the formation of superheated vapor if the pressure remains constant.

This understanding forms the basis for why saturated vapors are crucial in many engineering applications, particularly in thermodynamic cycles, refrigeration, and heat transfer processes. Their properties are essential for the analysis of systems where phase changes occur.