When the refrigerant passes through the compressor, what happens to its pressure?

• A. It decreases
• B. It remains the same
• C. It increases
• D. It changes from liquid to solid

Answer: (C)

The pressure goes up. In a vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, the compressor takes the low‑pressure, low‑temperature vapor from the evaporator and does work on it, raising its pressure (and temperature) so it becomes a high‑pressure, high‑temperature gas that moves to the condenser. This higher pressure is what drives the refrigerant through the condenser where it releases heat. It doesn’t stay the same, it doesn’t decrease, and it doesn’t turn into a solid inside the compressor—the cycle relies on pressure increase on the high‑pressure side.