Condensation

 

For other uses, see Condensation (disambiguation).

Water vapor condenses into a liquid after making contact with the surface of a cold bottle.

Condensation forming over the wing of an aircraft in a low pressure zone

Condensation is the change of the physical state of matter from gaseous phase into liquid phase, and is the reverse of vaporization. When the transition happens from the gaseous phase into the solid phase directly, the change is called deposition.

Initiation

Condensation is initiated by the formation of atomic/molecular clusters of that species within its gaseous volume—like rain drop or snow-flake formation within clouds—or at the contact between such gaseous phase and a (solvent) liquid or solid surface.

Reversibility scenarios

A few distinct reversibility scenarios emerge here with respect to the nature of the surface.

• absorption into the surface of a liquid (either of the same species or one of its solvents)—is reversible as evaporation.
• adsorption (as dew droplets) onto solid surface at pressures and temperatures higher than the specie's triple point—also reversible as evaporation.
• adsorption onto solid surface (as supplemental layers of solid) at pressures and temperatures lower than the specie's triple point—is reversible as sublimation.

Most common scenarios

Condensation commonly occurs when a vapor is cooled and/or compressed to its saturation limit when the molecular density in the gas phase reaches its maximal threshold. Vapor cooling and compressing equipment that collects condensed liquids is called "condenser".

How condensation is measured

Psychrometry measures the rates of condensation from and evaporation into the air moisture at various atmospheric pressures and temperatures. Water is the product of its vapor condensation—condensation is the process of such phase conversion.

Applications of condensation

Condensation is a crucial component of distillation, an important laboratory and industrial chemistry application.

Because condensation is a naturally occurring phenomenon, it can often be used to generate water in large quantities for human use. Many structures are made solely for the purpose of collecting water from condensation, such as air wells and fog fences. Such systems can often be used to retain soil moisture in areas where active desertification is occurring—so much so that some organizations educate people living in affected areas about water condensers to help them deal effectively with the situation.

It is also a crucial process in forming particle tracks in a Cloud Chamber. In this case, ions produced by an incident particle act as nucleation centres for the vapour to condense on.

Biological adaptation

Numerous living beings use water made accessible by condensation. A few examples of these are the Australian Thorny Devil, the darkling beetles of the Namibian coast, and the Coast Redwoods of the West Coast of the United States.

Condensation in building construction

Condensation on a window during a rain shower.

Condensation in building construction is an unwanted phenomenon as it may cause dampness, mold health issues, wood rot, corrosion and energy loss due to increased heat transfer.

Interstructure condensation may be caused by thermal bridges, insufficient or lacking damp proofing or insulated glazing.

See also

• Air well (condenser)
• Bose–Einstein condensate
• Condenser (heat transfer)
• DNA condensation
• Kelvin equation
• Phase diagram
• Phase transition
• Retrograde condensation
• Surface condenser

References

• "Condensation principles (Picture)". http://www.ces.purdue.edu/pork/images/jones/condense.jpg.