Refrigerants with higher molecular weights have larger and heavier molecules. These molecules are less prone to leakage.  Refrigerants with lower boiling points have a tendency to remain in the liquid phase at lower temperatures.

Trigger leak rates apply for a 12-month period:

Appliance Type                                        Leak Rate
Industrial process refrigeration              30%
Commercial refrigeration                         20%
Comfort cooling                                         10%
All other appliances                                   10%

The flame will turn green if there is a leak. This is because freon refrigerants contain chlorine, which reacts with the copper in the halide leak detector to produce a green color.

This is because the two chemicals react to form ammonium sulfite, which is a white solid.

Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction that occurs when a compound reacts with water. Freon compounds are highly fluorinated, which makes them less reactive with water.

The latent heat of a refrigerant is the amount of heat required to change the state of a refrigerant from a liquid to a gas. The latent heat of the refrigerant is expressed in Btu per pound

R-717 is ammonia, which is a gas at room temperature and pressure. The lower density of ammonia is due to its smaller molecular size and lower molecular weight.

When exposed directly to high temperatures, Fluorocarbons decompose as the bonds between the atoms in fluorocarbons are relatively weak and can be broken down at high temperatures releasing harmful chemicals including chlorine and bromine. Ex: R-12 decomposes at temperatures above 200 degrees Celsius. Similarly, Fluorocarbons decompose when exposed to UV radiation releasing harmful chemicals including chlorine and bromine into the environment depleting the ozone layer

Specific heat is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius. The specific heat of a substance is determined by its molecular weight. The higher the molecular weight, the lower the specific heat.

class III refrigerants are used in the standard absorption type of refrigeration system. Class III refrigerants are ammonia, water, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

The latent heat of a refrigerant is the amount of heat that is absorbed by the refrigerant when it vaporizes. A higher latent heat means that the refrigerant can absorb more heat, which makes it more efficient at cooling.

Low specific volumes are desirable for refrigerants because they allow for more refrigerant to be stored in a given space. However, low specific volumes also have some disadvantages. For example, they can make it difficult to control the flow of refrigerant in a refrigeration system. Additionally, low specific volumes can make refrigerants more difficult to recover and recycle.

Low specific heat means that the refrigerant requires less heat to raise its temperature. This is desirable in refrigeration systems because it allows the refrigerant to absorb more heat from the surrounding air.

High latent heat of evaporation means that the refrigerant will absorb more heat from the surrounding air when it vaporizes.