Evaporation

Evaporation is the process by which a liquid turns into a gas. This occurs when the molecules in a liquid gain enough energy to break free from the liquid and become a gas. The most common example of evaporation is the process of water turning into water vapor due to heating or exposure to air.

Factors Affecting Evaporation

• Temperature: Higher temperatures increase the rate of evaporation as the molecules in the liquid gain more energy to escape into the air.
• Surface Area: Larger surface areas lead to faster evaporation as more liquid molecules are exposed to the air.
• Humidity: Lower humidity (dry air) facilitates faster evaporation as the air can hold more water vapor.
• Wind: Increased air movement (wind) can speed up evaporation by carrying away the water vapor near the surface.

Applications of Evaporation

Evaporation has various practical applications, including:

• Drying of clothes and other wet materials.
• Cooling effect of sweat evaporation from the skin.
• Salt production from seawater using evaporation ponds.
• Purification of water through the process of distillation.

Study and Review Questions

1. Define evaporation and describe the process.
2. Explain how temperature affects the rate of evaporation.
3. Discuss the role of surface area in the evaporation process.
4. How does humidity influence the rate of evaporation?
5. Provide examples of practical applications of evaporation in everyday life and industry.