Answer 1:
Let's think about what kind of molecular
processes are happening in each situation. In the
case of the cold glass, the air surrounding the
glass is warm relative to the glass. Now, air
typically has some water molecules (in the form of
vapor/gas) that comprise it, but warm air holds
more water than cold air. So when we set a cold
glass on a table, the relatively warm air that
existed there begins to cool as it comes into
contact with the glass. As the air cools, it can't
hold as much water, so water beads form on the
exterior of the glass. Thus, we are looking at a
vapor --> liquid phase transition.
However, in the case of the water that's being
heated, the water is undergoing a liquid --> vapor
phase transition. As heat energy is transferred to
the liquid water molecules, they acquire enough
energy to break the hydrogen bonds that keep water
molecules together in liquid form. If we happen to
be heating the water in a pot on a stove, for
instance, you'll notice bubbles tend to form more
at the bottom and then rise to the top, since the
liquid water molecules at the bottom are the first
to get heated and converted into little pockets of
gas phase water molecules. They rise to the top
because gas water is less dense than liquid water. |
Answer 2:
Condensation forms when water transforms from a
gas to a liquid. Similarly, bubbles form when
water transforms from a liquid to a gas. If
there's a cold glass of water sitting on a table,
gaseous water molecules in the air touch the cold
surface of the glass and condense to form a
liquid, which makes the glass look "foggy," and we
call "condensation." In the case of a hot bubbly
glass of water (water that is almost boiling), the
liquid on the inside of the glass is turning into
water gas (or vapor), and forming bubbles that are
less dense than water liquid. These bubbles rise
and then escape. Naturally, water vapor on the
outside of the glass is already a gas, so touching
the outside of the glass won't change anything (it
just heats the gas).
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