What is created when liquids evaporate into the air?

When liquids evaporate into the air, they turn into vapors. This process involves the transition of molecules from the liquid phase to the gas phase, which is a fundamental concept in physical chemistry and is observed in many everyday scenarios, such as when water heats up and becomes steam. Vapors are essentially the gaseous form of a substance that is normally a liquid at room temperature, and they can be seen when the liquid is heated or when air pressure is reduced.

In contrast to vapors, aerosols refer to tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in air, usually generated by a more complex process such as combustion or atomization. Condensates are formed when vapors cool and revert back to liquid form, while mists consist of tiny water droplets suspended in air but are not the direct result of simple evaporation. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify why vapors are the correct answer in this context.