Condensation is the process by which a gas or vapor changes into a liquid state. It occurs when a gas is cooled and loses energy, causing its particles to slow down and come together, forming liquid droplets. The opposite of condensation is evaporation, which is when a liquid turns into a gas.
In the Earth’s atmosphere, condensation is an important process in the water cycle. Water vapor, which is a gas, can be found in the atmosphere in varying amounts. When air containing water vapor is cooled, the vapor may condense into tiny water droplets or ice crystals. These tiny droplets or crystals may join together to form clouds. When enough droplets or crystals come together, they can become heavy enough to fall to the ground as precipitation, such as rain, snow, sleet or hail.
Condensation is also an important process in many industrial and laboratory applications, such as distillation and separation techniques. Additionally, it is a fundamental process in refrigeration and air conditioning, where cooling the air causes the water vapor in the air to condense on the cooling surfaces, helping to reduce humidity and cool the space.
