Which process describes the change of state from a liquid to a gas?

The process that describes the change of state from a liquid to a gas is vaporization. This transformation occurs when molecules in the liquid gain sufficient energy to overcome the attractive forces holding them together, allowing them to escape into the air as gas. This process can occur through evaporation, where the liquid at the surface turns into gas, or through boiling, which happens throughout the entire liquid when it reaches its boiling point.

In contrasting other processes, melting refers to the transition from solid to liquid, sublimation describes the direct change from solid to gas without passing through the liquid state, and freezing represents the change from liquid to solid. Understanding these distinctions is key to grasping the various phase changes in matter.