Boiling and evaporation, while sharing the same general idea of water transforming from a liquid state into a gaseous state, overall, they are two very different concepts overall. These terms cannot be used interchangeably.
By definition, boiling is the rapid vaporization of a liquid once it has reached its set boiling point. Most liquids have a boiling point that creates agitated, more rapid movement within the particles of the substance.
Boiling vs Evaporation
The main difference between Boiling and Evaporation is that boiling refers to any liquid which turns into gas after continuous heating. Evaporation refers to a natural process where liquid changes into gas due to high temperature or pressure. Boiling produces bubbles, but evaporation does not produce bubbles.
Most of the time, boiling is not a naturally occurring process unlike the process of evaporation. Evaporation is natural, commonly referred to in the water cycle.
Evaporation can occur at any given moment, regardless of an increase in temperature. Leave a glass of water out on the countertop long enough, and watch as the water levels go down without any human interference.
Comparison Table Between Boiling and Evaporation
| Parameter of Comparison | Boiling | Evaporation |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | “Steaming or bubbling up under the action of heat” | “To change from a liquid or solid state into vapor” |
| Movement of Particles | Boiling creates an extremely rapid movement of water particles as this is an endothermic process which signifies the addition of heat to a substance. | Molecules are always moving, but at a much slower rate than boiling. |
| Natural or Unnatural? | Boiling is an unnatural process. | Evaporation is a natural process, it is typically known as the first step in the Water Cycle. |
| Where it Occurs | Occurs all throughout the liquid due to the addition of so much heat | Occurs at the surface of the liquid |
| Time | Shorter period of time | Takes longer to complete |
| Temperature | Requires a temperature that is greater than the boiling point | Requires little change in temperature |
| Energy Required | Lots of energy being added | Little to no energy being added |
What is Boiling?
Whether you set off to boil a pot of water or any other liquid, the addition of intense heat excites these liquid molecules into moving rapidly all throughout the substance.
All it takes for something to boil is when that liquid, or an object that was once a solid, reaches temperatures higher than their melting point and/or their boiling point.
The intensity of so much energy being added in order to make something boil causes molecules to separate, turn into gaseous molecules, which then promptly, are so lightweight that they can enter the atmosphere in less than a few seconds.
One of the key ways to determine when a liquid has transcended past its boiling point is when there is a clear formation of bubbles.
When the water has elevated beyond its boiling point, the heat energy given from some type of energy sources like a stove or a fire gets transferred to the water molecules, which get more excited and animated from the addition of energy.
Their rapid movement causes the molecules to have too much energy to stay together in their liquid state of matter.
With the intense temperatures breaking the bonds between the elements making up the molecules, the molecules are lightweight and are subject to become airborne.
When this occurs, they have entered from the liquid state of matter into gaseous molecules of water vapor, which then float to the surface in the form of air pockets, or bubbles, and get released into the air.