What happens to water during the process of condensation?

• A. It heats up and evaporates
• B. It forms ice
• C. It cools down and gathers as liquid
• D. It disappears completely

Answer: (C)

During the process of condensation, water vapor in the air cools down as it rises or comes into contact with cooler surfaces. When the temperature of the water vapor decreases, it loses energy, causing the molecules to slow down and come together to form liquid water. This is the process that leads to the formation of clouds or dew. The key aspect of this process is the transition from a gaseous state (water vapor) to a liquid state, which captures the essence of how condensation works.

The other options do not accurately represent this process, as they involve different states of matter or processes unrelated to condensation. Heating and evaporation refer to the opposite process of condensation, while the formation of ice is a result of freezing rather than condensation. The notion of water disappearing is not representative of any physical process occurring with water, as it always exists in some form during the water cycle.