Evaporation and Condensation

Evaporation and Condensation

1. Evaporation is when a liquid turns into a gas.

   • Evaporation takes place because the most energetic liquid molecules escape from the liquid's surface and enter the air.
     • Therefore the kinetic energy of the remaining molecules is less, so the temperature of the liquid decreases. This means that evaporation causes cooling.

2. The rate of evaporation can be increased by:

   • Increasing the surface area of the liquid
     • Increasing the temperature of the liquid
       • creating a draught of air across the liquid's surface

3. Condensation is when a gas turns into a liquid. This often takes place on cold surfaces such as windows and mirrors.

4. The rate of condensation is increased by:

   • Increasing the surface area
     • Reducing the surface temperature