What is the process called when a gas turns into a liquid?

The transition from a gas to a liquid is called condensation. This process occurs when gas molecules lose energy and come closer together, which allows them to interact more strongly. As they lose energy, typically through cooling, they reach a point where they can form intermolecular attractions that lead to the formation of a liquid.

Understanding condensation is crucial, especially in scenarios involving temperature changes in the environment or in various physical processes, such as the formation of dew or clouds.

Evaporation, on the other hand, is the process where a liquid becomes a gas, while freezing refers to the transition of a liquid into a solid. Sublimation is the conversion from a solid directly to a gas without passing through the liquid phase. Each of these processes represents different phase changes associated with energy transfer and molecular interactions.