How Solar Energy Drives Evaporation
The water cycle begins with the Sun's energy heating the Earth's surface, including bodies of water like lakes, rivers, and oceans. This solar energy causes water molecules to gain kinetic energy, making them move faster and eventually escape into the atmosphere as water vapor.
As the water molecules absorb the Sun's heat, they transition from a liquid state to a gaseous state, becoming water vapor, an invisible gas in the atmosphere.
The warm air near the Earth's surface can hold more moisture, leading to a higher rate of evaporation in hot and sunny climates.