Question

Why does evaporation of water from a surface cause cooling of the surface?

A) The water molecules with the most heat energy evaporate more readily.
B) The breaking of bonds between water molecules absorbs heat.
C) The solute molecules left behind absorb heat.
D) Water molecules absorb heat from the surface in order to acquire enough energy to evaporate."

Answer 1

Evaporation of water brings about cooling because it involves the transfer of energy from the warmer surface to water molecules, which must break hydrogen bonds to transition from liquid to gas, thus reducing the temperature of the surface.

Step-by-step explanation:

Evaporation of water from a surface causes cooling of the surface because it involves energy transfer from the surface to the water molecules. Water molecules with higher kinetic energy evaporate first, which leads to a decrease in the average kinetic energy of the remaining liquid.

Water requires a high heat of vaporization, meaning a substantial amount of energy is needed for water molecules to overcome the intermolecular forces and transition from liquid to gas. This energy comes from the heat energy stored on the surface, which is why as water evaporates, the surface undergoes cooling.