Question

examine the simplified diagram showing evaporation, one of the steps of the water cycle. • identify what causes the particles of the water in the lake to change. • explain the difference between the particles that are still part of the lake and the particles that are part of the air.

Explanation:

First Sub - Question: Identify what causes the particles of the water in the lake to change.

The sun provides heat energy. This heat energy is absorbed by the water in the lake. When water absorbs heat, the kinetic energy of water particles increases. This increased kinetic energy causes the water particles to move more vigorously. For liquid water, when the particles gain enough energy, they can overcome the intermolecular forces holding them in the liquid state and escape into the air as water vapor, which is part of the evaporation process in the water cycle. So the heat from the sun (solar energy) causes the change in water particles.

• Particles in the lake (liquid water): In the liquid state, water particles are relatively close together. The intermolecular forces (like hydrogen bonds) between them are strong enough to keep the particles in a more ordered, closely - packed arrangement, although they can still move around each other. The kinetic energy of these particles is not sufficient to overcome the intermolecular forces completely, so they remain in the liquid phase, forming the lake.
• Particles in the air (water vapor): When water evaporates, the particles that enter the air are in the gaseous state. In the gaseous state, the intermolecular forces between water vapor particles are very weak. The particles have high kinetic energy, which allows them to move freely and independently over large distances. They are much more spread out compared to the particles in the liquid lake.

Answer:

The heat energy from the sun (solar energy) causes the water particles in the lake to change. The sun's heat increases the kinetic energy of water particles, allowing some to escape the liquid (lake) as vapor (into the air) during evaporation.

Second Sub - Question: Explain the difference between the particles that are still part of the lake and the particles that are part of the air.