Vapor

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/vapor

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the thermodynamic definition?A gas below its critical temperature, liquefiable by pressure alone
2. What is the atmospheric greenhouse gas?Significant contributor to Earth's heat retention
3. How does water become vapor?Water becomes vapor when its molecules gain enough energy to escape the liquid. This process, called evaporation, needs heat. When the vapor cools, it can turn back into liquid, called condensation.
4. Why is water vapor important for the weather?Water vapor is a greenhouse gas that helps regulate Earth's energy. When air rises and cools, vapor condenses into clouds, releasing heat that fuels storms and weather.

Vapor: A gaseous state of a substance that is normally liquid or solid at standard temperature and pressure.
Critical Temperature: The temperature above which a substance cannot be liquefied, no matter how much pressure is applied.
Saturation Vapor Pressure: The pressure exerted by a vapor in thermodynamic equilibrium with its condensed phases at a given temperature.