Azeotropes are mixtures of two or more components in fluidic states that cannot be separated by simple distillation due to their vapor maintaining the same composition as the original mixture. Azeotropes have characteristic boiling points, which can be either less or higher than the boiling points of their constituents. Positive azeotropes, like ethanol-water, boil at a lower temperature than their constituents, while negative azeotropes, like nitric acid-water, boil at a higher temperature. Understanding azeotropic behavior is essential in fluid separation techniques, and azeotropic distillation is often used.