Evaporation vs Transpiration
Without water, man and all other living things cannot survive on Earth. It is essential for the growth and nourishment of all living organisms, from the one-celled bacteria such as algae and the amoebae, to the largest plant which is the Giant Sequoia and the largest mammal which is the Blue Whale.
This is why the Earth is created with a huge composition of water. Its surface is made up of 70 per cent water which is important for the survival of the living organisms that live in it. It is tasteless, odorless, transparent, is the universal solvent, and can be split into hydrogen and oxygen.
It continuously goes through the cycle of precipitation wherein water that has condensed in the air falls down to the Earth; runoff, wherein water from the upland goes out to the sea; evaporation, wherein water from open surfaces goes up into the air; and transpiration, wherein water from vegetation is released into the air.
Evaporation is the process wherein water from different bodies of water changes from a liquid into a gas or water vapor, and it goes up into the air. This happens only if energy is present to change the water into water vapor.
As energy is applied, water molecules collide with each other at different rates causing molecules that are near the surface to be released into the air or atmosphere. Applying heat to water or exposing it to the heat of the sun causes evaporation.
Transpiration, on the other hand, is the process of the release of water from plants through the tiny openings in their leaves or stomata. Plants can control the release of water by opening and closing the stomata which helps them survive during very hot weather.
Transpiration is dependent on the humidity or wetness of the air or atmosphere and also on how much moisture the soil in which the plants are planted has. Water is taken in by the plants through their roots and is carried to all its parts as nourishment.
Water that reaches the leaves is then released into the air or atmosphere to cause transpiration. The loss of water through both evaporation and transpiration is called evapotranspiration. Together with evaporation and transpiration, precipitation and runoff, evapotranspiration is an integral part of the water cycle.
Summary:
1.Evaporation is the process of the release of water into the air from open water surfaces while transpiration is the process of the release of water into the air from plants.
2.Transpiration naturally occurs in plants while evaporation occurs when energy in the form of heat is applied to water and changes it into water vapor.
3.Both are important to the water cycle. While the amount of water that goes through evaporation depends on the heat that is applied to it, transpiration depends on the moisture content of the soil on which the plant is planted and the humidity of the air.
4.The process of losing or releasing water into the air through both evaporation and transpiration is called evapotranspiration.