What do we call the process where liquid water changes to gas at room temperature?

The process where liquid water changes to gas at room temperature is known as evaporation. This occurs when molecules in the liquid state gain enough energy to transition into a gaseous state. It can happen at any temperature, not just at boiling point, because some molecules at the surface of the liquid have enough kinetic energy to break free and enter the air as vapor. Evaporation is a common phenomenon that occurs continuously in nature, and it does not require boiling — just the right conditions, like sufficient heat from the surroundings, are enough for this phase change to take place.

Other terms listed refer to different processes; for instance, condensation is the opposite of evaporation, where gas turns into a liquid. Melting involves a solid transitioning to a liquid, while freezing is the conversion from liquid back to solid. Understanding these distinctions is key to grasping the different states and phase changes of matter.