Critical point (thermodynamics)
![1. Subcritical ethane, liquid and gas phase coexist
2. Critical point (32.17 °C, 48.72 bar), opalescence
3. Supercritical ethane, fluid[1]](/uploads/202501/07/CriticalPointMeasurementEthane0107.jpg)



In thermodynamics, a critical point (or critical state) is the end point of a phase equilibrium curve. The most prominent example is the liquid-vapor critical point, the end point of the pressure-temperature curve that designates conditions under which a liquid and its vapor can coexist. At the critical point, defined by a critical temperature Tc and a critical pressure pc, phase boundaries vanish. Other examples include the liquid–liquid critical points in mixtures.