What is the process called when a gas turns into a liquid?

The process where a gas changes into a liquid is known as condensation. This occurs when the molecules in a gas lose energy and come together to form a liquid state, typically as the temperature drops or as the pressure increases. During condensation, the gas transitions from a less dense state to a denser state, and this is frequently observed in everyday scenarios, such as when water vapor in the air condenses on a cold surface to form droplets.

The other processes listed involve different phase transitions. Evaporation refers to the process where a liquid turns into a gas; freezing is the transformation from a liquid to a solid; and sublimation involves a solid changing directly into a gas without passing through the liquid phase. Recognizing these distinctions in phase changes is essential for understanding states of matter in chemistry.