The boiling point for most refrigerants is 212°F.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not enough information
• D. It depends

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that boiling point depends on pressure, and in refrigeration the system is designed to have the refrigerant boil at very low temperatures. In a vapor‑compression system, the evaporator operates at relatively low pressure, so the liquid refrigerant boils and turns into vapor at temperatures well below the temperature of boiling water (212°F). Because of that, the typical boiling points of common refrigerants are far under 100°C when at their operating pressures. So saying that most refrigerants boil at 212°F isn’t accurate. The key takeaway is that refrigerants are chosen to evaporate at low temperatures under the system’s operating pressure, not at 212°F.