What process moves water from oceans and land into the atmosphere as water vapor?

• A. Evaporation
• B. Condensation
• C. Precipitation
• D. Infiltration

Answer: (A)

Evaporation is the process by which liquid water becomes water vapor. Energy from the sun heats the surface of oceans, lakes, rivers, and wet ground, giving some water molecules enough energy to overcome surface tensions and escape into the air as a gas. This transfer moves water from liquids on Earth into the atmosphere. Evaporation happens from both land and water surfaces, and it’s helped by factors like larger surface area, wind removing the vapor, and lower humidity outside the air.

Think of other parts of the water cycle: condensation is when water vapor cools and turns back into liquid, forming clouds; precipitation is the rain or snow that falls to Earth; infiltration is water seeping down into soil. The key idea here is evaporation is the step that takes liquid water and puts it into the atmosphere as vapor.