Consider a sealed container half-filled with water. Which statement best describes what occurs in the container? a. Water evaporates until the air is saturated with water vapor; at this point, no more water evaporates. b. Water evaporates until the air is overly saturated (supersaturated) with water, and most of this water recondenses; this cycle continues until a certain amount of water vapor is present, and then the cycle ceases. c. Water does not evaporate because the container is sealed. d. Water evaporates, and then water evaporates and recondenses simultaneously and continuously. e. Water evaporates until it is eventually all in vapor form. Explain each choice. Justify your choice, and for choices you did not pick, explain what is wrong with them.

Step by step solution

01

Option A

In option a, it states that water evaporates until the air is saturated with water vapor, and at this point, no more water evaporates. This statement is incorrect because, in a closed container, once the air becomes saturated, water will continue to evaporate, but it will also condense at the same rate. This means the net evaporation rate becomes zero, but the process of evaporation does not stop.

02

Option B

Option b states that water evaporates until the air is supersaturated, and most of this water recondenses; this cycle continues until a certain amount of water vapor is present, and then the cycle ceases. This statement is incorrect because a continuous cycle of supersaturation and recondensation does not reach equilibrium. The process continues as water evaporates and condenses at an equal rate.

03

Option C

Option c claims that water does not evaporate because the container is sealed. This is incorrect since the sealing of the container does not prevent water from evaporating. Sealing the container may affect the process by preventing vapor from escaping, but it will not stop evaporation completely.

04

Option D

Option d states that water evaporates, and then water evaporates and recondenses simultaneously and continuously. This statement is correct. In a sealed container, as the water evaporates and the air becomes saturated with water vapor, an equilibrium is reached whereby water evaporates and recondenses simultaneously and continuously. This process maintains a balance between evaporation and condensation.

05

Option E

Option e claims that water evaporates until all of it is eventually in vapor form. This statement is incorrect because the air in the container has a maximum capacity to hold water vapor before reaching saturation. Once this point is reached, an equilibrium is established where the rate of evaporation is equal to the rate of condensation. This prevents all the water in the container from eventually evaporating. Conclusion: The correct choice is Option D: Water evaporates, and then water evaporates and recondenses simultaneously and continuously. The other options either contradict the process of equilibrium or misrepresent the effect of a sealed container on evaporation and condensation.

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