Evaporation is the process where water transitions from:

Evaporation is the process in which water transitions from a liquid state to a gaseous state. This occurs when water molecules gain enough energy, typically from heat, to overcome the intermolecular forces holding them together in the liquid. As these molecules acquire sufficient kinetic energy, they escape into the air as vapor.

This process is crucial for the water cycle and has significant implications for weather patterns and climate. Understanding evaporation also helps explain various phenomena, such as how sweat cools the body and the way puddles disappear on warm days. The other transitions listed, such as solid to liquid, gas to liquid, and liquid to solid, represent different phase changes that do not describe evaporation.