What term refers to the ease with which liquids give off vapors?

The term that refers to the ease with which liquids give off vapors is volatility. Volatility is a measure of how readily a substance vaporizes; in the context of liquids, it indicates the propensity to release vapors at a given temperature. A highly volatile liquid will produce more vapor at a faster rate compared to a less volatile one, which is crucial for understanding fire behavior since these vapors can ignite and contribute to combustion.

In contrast, vapor pressure relates to the pressure exerted by a vapor in equilibrium with its liquid at a specific temperature, providing a quantitative measure of volatility but not directly defining it. Flammability describes the capability of a substance to ignite and sustain combustion, while solubility refers to the ability of a substance to dissolve in a solvent, which is not directly connected to vaporization or vapor release. Understanding volatility is essential for assessing the risks associated with different liquids in fire scenarios.