What is the name given to the process of liquid water turning into vapor?

The process of liquid water turning into vapor is known as evaporation. This is a fundamental aspect of the water cycle and occurs when molecules at the surface of a liquid gain enough energy to break free from the liquid and enter the gas phase. Factors such as temperature, surface area, and wind speed can affect the rate of evaporation.

Transpiration, while related to water vapor, specifically refers to the release of water vapor from plants into the atmosphere, rather than the transition of liquid water to vapor in a general sense. Condensation is the opposite process, where vapor changes back into liquid, and precipitation involves water falling from the atmosphere to the Earth in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. These processes serve different roles in the water cycle, but evaporation is specifically about the transformation of liquid water into vapor.