Evaporation is the process of conversion of a liquid from its surface into a gaseous phase below its boiling point.
This process happens in the presence of heat energy.
Factors affecting evaporation:
1. Temperature:
On increasing the temperature the rate of evaporation also increases.
At higher temperatures, the molecules are moving faster; therefore, it is more likely for a molecule to have enough energy to break away from the liquid to become a gas.
2. Wind speed:
Wind speed and rate of evaporation are directly proportional to each other.
As the wind speed increases, the rate of evaporation also increases.
3. Surface area:
As the surface area increases, the rate of evaporation also increases.
The more area is exposed to air, allowing water molecules acquire more heat energy from the surroundings.
4. Humidity:
Humidity and rate of evaporation are in inverse relation to each other.
As the humidity decreases, the rate of evaporation increases.