When water evaporates, it ________ heat energy and ________ the surrounding air.

• A. releases; warms
• B. absorbs; warms
• C. absorbs; cools
• D. releases; cools

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the process of evaporation: when water evaporates, it changes from liquid to gas, which requires energy to break the intermolecular forces holding the liquid together.
2. Recognize that this energy required for evaporation is called the heat of vaporization, and water must absorb heat energy from its surroundings to undergo this phase change.
3. Since water absorbs heat energy during evaporation, it takes heat away from the surrounding environment, causing the surrounding air to lose heat.
4. As the surrounding air loses heat, its temperature decreases, meaning the air is cooled by the evaporation process.
5. Therefore, the correct description is that water absorbs heat energy and cools the surrounding air during evaporation.