Difference Between Vaporization and Evaporation

Difference Between Vaporization and Evaporation: Although the terms vaporization and evaporation appear to mean the same thing, they are not. Both are essentially changing phases, with the only significant difference being the temperature at which the phase is supposed to occur. The main difference between vaporization and evaporation is that vaporization is a broader term that refers to the transformation of a solid or liquid into a gaseous state, whereas evaporation is the change of a liquid into vapors.

In this article, we have provided the difference between Vaporization and Evaporation, along with examples, factors, etc.

What is the difference between Vaporization and Evaporation?

Vaporization and evaporation are both processes in which a substance is converted from a liquid to a gaseous state, but they differ in their mechanisms and conditions. Vaporization is a general term and it can occur at any temperature, including boiling. In contrast, evaporation specifically refers to the gradual and spontaneous transition of a liquid into vapor, usually at or near the surface, at temperatures below its boiling point. Evaporation is a slower and less energetic process while vaporization, including boiling, is a quicker and more energetic transformation that occurs throughout the entire liquid when it reaches its boiling point.

Difference Between Vaporization and Evaporation

Here is the table showing the difference between Vaporization and Evaporation based on aspects like occurrence, energy source, nature, importance, temperature change, etc:

Aspects	Vaporization	Evaporation
Definition	The process by which a liquid changes into a gas or vapor, usually by heating or boiling.	The process by which a liquid changes into a gas or vapor, usually at or near the surface of the liquid, without necessarily heating or boiling.
Occurs at	A fixed temperature is called the boiling point.	Any temperature below the boiling point.
Energy source	An external heat source is required to vaporize a liquid	Energy is absorbed from the surrounding environment to evaporate a liquid.
Rate of change	The rate of vaporization is faster than the rate of evaporation.	The rate of evaporation is slower than the rate of vaporization.
Nature of process	It is a fast and violent process.	It is a slow and gradual process.
Phase change	It is a change from liquid to gas.	It is also a phase change from liquid to gas.
Examples	Boiling water to produce steam.	Drying clothes on a clothesline.
Importance	It is used to generate steam for power generation, industrial processes, and cooking	It is essential for the water cycle and regulates the temperature and humidity of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Molecules involved	It involves the entire liquid mass	It involves only the surface molecules of the liquid:
Temperature change	Temperature remains constant during vaporization.	Temperature decreases during evaporation due to energy absorbed by the surrounding environment.

What is Vaporization?

Vaporization refers to a phase transition where a substance changes its phase from liquid to gas; it includes both evaporation and boiling.

Examples of Vaporization

• When you heat a pot of water on a stove, it eventually reaches its boiling point, and the liquid water vaporizes, forming steam.
• When you heat a sauce or soup in a pan, the liquid in the mixture vaporizes, creating steam as it becomes more concentrated.
• Dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) undergoes sublimation, directly changing from a solid to a gas without passing through a liquid state. This is why dry ice produces visible “smoke” or vapor.

Factors affecting Vaporization

• Temperature: An increase in temperature generally leads to a higher rate of vaporization. As a substance is heated, its molecules gain more kinetic energy, making it easier for them to break the intermolecular forces holding them in a liquid or solid state.
• Surface Area: Just like in evaporation, the surface area of a substance also affects vaporization. A substance with a larger surface area will vaporize more rapidly because more molecules are exposed to the environment.
• Pressure: Vaporization is influenced by pressure. Lowering the pressure on a substance can cause it to vaporize more readily. This is the principle behind vacuum distillation, used in some chemical processes.
• Nature of the Substance: Different substances have varying vaporization rates due to differences in their molecular structures and intermolecular forces. Substances with weaker intermolecular forces tend to vaporize more easily.

Read: What is Vaporization

What is Evaporation?

Evaporation is the process where the change of a liquid into vapors at any temperature below its boiling point. When sun rays fall on the surface of these water bodies, the water molecules get evaporated, and they escape in the form of gas.

Examples of Evaporation

• When you hang wet clothes outside in the sun, the water on the clothes gradually evaporates, leaving them dry.
• After a rain shower, puddles of water on the ground slowly disappear as the water evaporates into the atmosphere.
• When you heat a pot of water on a stove, you can observe the formation of water vapor rising from the surface as the water reaches its boiling point.

Factors affecting Evaporation

1. Temperature – If there is increase in a substance’s temperature causes its evaporation rate to increase.
2. Surface area -A substance’s rate of evaporation increases with an increase in its surface area.
3. Humidity – While decreasing in evaporation rate occurs when atmospheric humidity rises.
4. Wind speed – Sometimes, a rise in wind speed results in an increase in the rate of evaporation.

Read: What is Evaporation

Similarities Between Vaporization and Evaporation

• Vaporization and evaporation are both phase changes that involve the conversion of a liquid to a gas.
• Both vaporization and evaporation occur at the surface of the liquid.
• Both processes result in the formation of a gas.
• Both processes are affected by temperature. The rate of vaporization and evaporation increases with an increase in temperature.
• A decrease in pressure can lead to an increase in the rate of evaporation and vaporization, while an increase in pressure can lead to a decrease in the rate of evaporation and vaporization.

Conclusion – Vaporization vs Evaporation

In summary, Although the terms vaporization and evaporation appear to mean the same thing, they are not. Both are essentially changing phases, with the only significant difference being the temperature at which the phase is supposed to occur. They both occur on totally different surfaces, at various times, and at different temperatures. One characteristic that they have is that during vaporisation and evaporation, liquid molecules escape into a gaseous form.

FAQs on Difference Between Vaporization and Evaporation

1. What is the difference between evaporation and vaporization?

Vaporization refers to a phase transition where a substance changes its phase from liquid to gas; it includes both evaporation and boiling. As, evaporation is the process by which a liquid change into a gas or vapor, usually at or near the surface of the liquid, without necessarily heating or boiling.

2. What causes vaporization?

When a substance is heated to the point where its vapour pressure exceeds the surrounding air pressure.

3. What are the types of vaporization?

Evaporation and boiling are considered as the two types of vaporization.

4. What causes evaporation?

Evaporation is caused by the transformation of a substance from its liquid state to its gaseous state due to the gain of sufficient thermal energy. When a liquid’s molecules gain enough kinetic energy, they break free from the forces holding them together in the liquid phase and become vapor or gas