Which statement best describes what happens during evaporation?

• A. Solid molecules absorb energy and change directly into the liquid phase, making the process endothermic.
• B. Liquid molecules absorb energy and change into the gas phase, making the process endothermic.
• C. Gas molecules lose energy and condense into the liquid phase, making the process exothermic.
• D. Liquid molecules release energy and change into the solid phase, making the process exothermic.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the process of evaporation: it involves the transition of molecules from the liquid phase to the gas phase.
2. Recognize that for molecules to escape from the liquid to the gas phase, they must absorb energy to overcome intermolecular forces; this means evaporation is an endothermic process.
3. Recall that evaporation does not involve the solid phase directly, so statements about solids changing to liquids or liquids changing to solids are not describing evaporation.
4. Identify that gas molecules losing energy and condensing into liquid is the reverse process called condensation, which is exothermic, not evaporation.
5. Conclude that the correct description of evaporation is: liquid molecules absorb energy and change into the gas phase, making the process endothermic.