Final answer:
Evaporation will cause the size of the puddles to decrease as water molecules turn into water vapor and leave the liquid phase. This process is accelerated on a warm day, contributing to the cooling of the remaining liquid, similar to how evaporative cooling works with human perspiration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Evaporation will have a significant effect on puddles of water after a shower, especially on a warm day. This process involves the conversion of water from a liquid to a vapor and is driven by the kinetic energy of water molecules. On a warm day, more molecules have sufficient energy to overcome the attractive forces holding them in the liquid and hence escape into the air as vapor. As a result, the puddles will gradually diminish as water evaporates. It is important to note that evaporation has a cooling effect, as the molecules with higher kinetic energy escape, leaving behind molecules with lower kinetic energy which results in a decrease in the temperature of the liquid left behind. This cooling effect is similar to what humans experience when they sweat. Evaporative cooling occurs when the water molecules in sweat absorb body heat and evaporate from the surface of the skin, leaving the remaining sweat cooler and thus reducing the body temperature. Unlike when water is in a closed container, where the level remains the same as evaporation and condensation occur at equal rates, an open puddle allows the water vapor to disperse into the atmosphere, and the puddle eventually dries up.