Final answer:
Evaporation is the process in which a liquid converts to vapor at temperatures below its boiling point. As the temperature rises, so does the rate of evaporation, because the water molecules have more energy to overcome intermolecular attractions. Condensation is the reverse process, where vapor transforms back into liquid.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of converting a liquid to vapor is known as evaporation. Evaporation occurs when molecules in a liquid state gain enough energy to enter the gas phase. The classic example of this process is the vaporization of water, represented by the chemical equation H₂O(l) → H₂O(g), which signifies the transition from liquid water (H₂O(l)) to water vapor (H₂O(g)).
Evaporation can take place at temperatures below the boiling point of the liquid. In an open environment, such as a puddle, water molecules escape as vapor into the surrounding air. In a closed container, however, the water vapor cannot escape and thus maintains an equilibrium with the liquid phase, leading to condensation, where water vapor returns to the liquid state.
There are several factors that influence evaporation, including temperature. As temperature increases, the rate of evaporation also rises. This is because higher temperatures provide more energy for the liquid molecules to overcome intermolecular forces and transition into the gas state.
The opposite process of evaporation is condensation, which is the transition from a gas back to a liquid. Condensation occurs when vapor cools down and loses energy, forming liquid droplets.
The space above a liquid contains molecules in the gas state, which is a measure of the vapor pressure of the liquid. Vapor pressure is an important physical property of liquid substances that varies with temperature.