Question
The change of a liquid to a gas when all the particles have the necessary amount of energy to make the change
Answer
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(326 Votes)
Bartholomew
Master · Tutor for 5 years
Answer
The process is called vaporization or evaporation.
Explanation
Vaporization, or evaporation, is a phase transition from the liquid phase to gas phase. This occurs when particles in a liquid state gain enough energy to move into the gas phase. This energy can be supplied by heat, pressure change, or a combination of these. When the particles in the liquid have enough energy, they can overcome the intermolecular forces that are holding them together in the liquid phase, and they start to move more freely, entering the gas phase. This is why we see water in a pot start to boil and turn into steam when it's heated - the water molecules are gaining enough energy from the heat to break free from the liquid phase and become a gas.