Final answer:
Volatiles are chemical compounds that can easily evaporate, with water vapor and carbon dioxide being the most common. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are typically found in various products and can contaminate groundwater and contribute to air pollution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Volatiles are chemical compounds that can evaporate or vaporize at relatively low temperatures due to their low boiling points and weak intermolecular interactions. The two most common volatiles are water vapor and carbon dioxide. Volatiles, particularly in the context of environmental science, often refer to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which include a variety of chemicals that can be emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs are usually found in products like paints, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials, and furnishings. They can also be produced naturally by plants, or as byproducts of bacterial activity. Moreover, some of these substances, such as BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) and chlorinated solvents including tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), and vinyl chloride (VC), are of particular concern because they can contaminate groundwater and are precursors for the formation of ground-level ozone, a harmful secondary air pollutant.