Factors Affecting Evaporation

1. Wind

1.1. Rate of evaporation is faster with moving air present

1.2. Example: Drying your hair with a hair dryer, The moving air from the hair dryer removes the molecules of liquids as soon as they escape from the surface of your hair.

2. Area (Exposed)

2.1. The larger the exposed surface area, the more water particles can escape from the water surface.

3. Humidity (Of Surrounding Air)

3.1. Rate of evaporation decreases with increasing humidity and increases with lower humidity.

3.2. Example: Wet clothes do not dry easily when air is damp and skin feels dry in air-conditioned room.

4. Temperature

4.1. Evaporation can occur at any temperature

4.2. Increase in temperature = increase in rate of evaporation

4.3. Warmer liquid

4.3.1. Greater number of molecules at the surface layer are energetic enough to escape

5. Evaporation only takes place at the exposed surface area of a liquid

6. The rate of evaporation increases when there is more exposed surface area