What is the process called when a gas changes to a liquid?

The process in which a gas transforms into a liquid is called condensation. This occurs when the molecules in the gas lose energy, typically due to a decrease in temperature, causing them to come together and form liquid. A common example of condensation is when water vapor in the air cools down and forms droplets of water on a cold surface, like a glass of ice water.

Evaporation, on the other hand, is the process where a liquid turns into a gas, while precipitation refers to water in any form (rain, snow, sleet, or hail) that falls from the atmosphere to the ground. Sublimation is the transition of a substance directly from the solid to the gas phase without passing through the liquid phase. Understanding these definitions is essential for grasping the various phase changes that matter can undergo.