What is condensation? Detailed analysis

The article describes what condensation is, which causes such a physical process, and where it can be seen in everyday life.

Start

Physics is one of the most important discipline for mankind. Of course, any of its followers consider this "science" of its own, but nevertheless it was physics along with other natural technical sciences that allowed at least a little, but to understand the structure of our world. At all times there were those who were not satisfied with the biblical description of the universe and nature in general, and they, as pioneers, sought to understand the situation independently, as, for example, Mikhailo Lomonosov himself.

Unfortunately, with the popularization of physics, everything is not so simple, but there are certain successes, if you recall Perelman's "Entertaining Physics" and a number of scientific works by Stephen Hawking.

And physics is interesting because there are many processes around us every second, to which we are accustomed and do not pay attention, and they are quite interesting from a scientific point of view, for example, such a phenomenon as condensation. So what is condensation? In this we will understand.

Definition

If you turn to the encyclopedia, then, according to her, condensation is the transition of a substance from gaseous to liquid or solid. Put simply, this is the process of converting steam into something else, for example, liquid. At first glance, everything is quite simple, we are all used to the fact that steam in the room is gradually precipitated in the form of drops of water on objects, and this is so. So now we know what condensation is. However, where is there still such a phenomenon, and how useful is it?

Rain

Talking about such a physical phenomenon, one can not help remembering the rain. It is because of the presence of liquid water on Earth that life has arisen. And no less important is its cycle in nature. For example, there is water on Venus too, but alas, only in the form of a vapor that never reaches the hot surface and simply shelters the planet with dense clouds that cause a greenhouse effect and further increase the temperature.

Fortunately, in the case of our planet, everything is different: we have a normal water cycle, thanks to which its balance is maintained. So what is condensation, and what does the rain have to do with it?

In fact, everything is simple, it is enough to recall the school course of natural history. Liquid water gradually evaporates from the surface of the earth, and then rises in the form of steam. And here begins the most interesting: the higher, the lower the temperature, and the warm steam gradually cools, returning to its original state - water. And then this water is spilled back into the earth in the form of rain to evaporate and repeat this cycle. So now we know what condensation is in physics. But where else at the household level can you observe this process?

Window

In the cold season you can see moisture on the inside of the windows - this is also an example of condensation. There is a similar, as a rule, because of the temperature difference outside and inside the room and because of excessive humidity. By the way, it is because of this in the winter time on the window panes you can see frosty patterns.

Condensation can also be noticed when cooking, when steam rises from a pot of boiling water and settles on walls or objects with small droplets of liquid. This process is also most clearly visible in the steam room of the bath: if you pour water on the heated hearth, it will go into a gaseous state and as the temperature drops, it will condense on the walls and floor.

So now we know what evaporation and condensation are. By the way, according to the law of conservation of matter and energy, exactly as much vapor will pass back to the liquid state as it evaporated.