What is it called when a liquid turns into gas?

When a liquid turns into gas, the process is known as evaporation. This occurs when molecules at the surface of the liquid gain enough energy to break free from the liquid's surface and enter the gaseous state. This transformation can happen at any temperature, but it occurs more rapidly at higher temperatures.

In the context of the other terms: condensation refers to the change from gas to liquid, melting is the transition from solid to liquid, and freezing is the change from liquid to solid. Each of these processes describes a different phase change, which highlights the distinct nature of evaporation as specifically dealing with the conversion of liquid to gas.