Which of the following best describes how temperature affects the rate of evaporation of a liquid?

• A. Increasing temperature increases the rate of evaporation.
• B. Evaporation only occurs at low temperatures.
• C. Temperature has no effect on the rate of evaporation.
• D. Increasing temperature decreases the rate of evaporation.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that evaporation is the process where molecules at the surface of a liquid gain enough energy to enter the gas phase.
2. Recall that temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of molecules in a substance.
3. Recognize that as temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of the liquid molecules increases, meaning more molecules have enough energy to overcome intermolecular forces and evaporate.
4. Therefore, increasing temperature leads to an increase in the rate of evaporation because more molecules can escape from the liquid surface.
5. Conclude that the correct description is: Increasing temperature increases the rate of evaporation.