How Does Evaporation Work?

Evaporation happens when a liquid substance becomes a gas. When water is heated, it evaporates. The molecules move and vibrate so quickly that they escape into the atmosphere as molecules of water vapor. ... Heat from the sun, or solar energy, powers the evaporation process.

What causes water to evaporate?

In the water cycle, evaporation occurs when sunlight warms the surface of the water. The heat from the sun makes the water molecules move faster and faster, until they move so fast they escape as a gas. Once evaporated, a molecule of water vapor spends about ten days in the air.

How does evaporation work without boiling?

The heat in that water results in some molecules moving fast enough to escape into the air, that is, evaporate. No additional source of energy is required for evaporation, and the water does not need to reach the boiling point to evaporate.