Final answer:
When an unopened bottle of water is taken out of the refrigerator and placed on a table, the droplets of water forming on the outside are due to condensation. (option D is the correct answer)
Step-by-step explanation:
The droplets of water observed on the unopened bottle taken out of the refrigerator are due to condensation, which is the transformation of water vapor in the air to liquid water upon contact with the cold bottle's surface. This happens because the water vapor in the warm air comes into contact with the colder surface of the bottle. The air around the bottle cools down, and when the temperature drops below the dew point, the water vapor condenses into liquid water.
Condensation is part of the water cycle and occurs when gas or vapor changes into a liquid. It is the opposite process of vaporization, not to be confused with freezing, which is the transition from liquid to solid, or evaporation, which is the transition from liquid to gas at temperatures below the boiling point.
In this scenario, the correct answer is D. Condensation, as this is the physical process responsible for the formation of water droplets on the exterior of the cold water bottle.