Which process best explains how water at room temperature becomes a gas?

• A. Condensation
• B. Freezing
• C. Evaporation
• D. Sublimation

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the physical processes listed: condensation, freezing, evaporation, and sublimation, and understand their definitions related to phase changes of water.
2. Condensation is the process where water vapor (gas) turns into liquid water, which is the opposite of what the problem asks.
3. Freezing is the process where liquid water turns into solid ice, which also does not describe water becoming a gas.
4. Evaporation is the process where liquid water molecules gain enough energy to escape into the gas phase at temperatures below boiling point, such as room temperature.
5. Sublimation is the direct transition from solid to gas without passing through the liquid phase, which does not apply to liquid water at room temperature.