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condensation The physical process by which a vapor becomes a liquid or solid. The opposite is evaporation. In meteorology, the term condensation is applied only to the transformation from vapor to liquid; any process in which a solid forms directly from its vapor is called sublimation, as is the reverse process. Also in meteorology, condensation is considered almost exclusively with reference to water vapor which changes to dew, fog, or cloud. Condensation in the atmosphere is brought about by either of two processes: cooling of air to its dew point or addition of enough water vapor to bring the mixture to the point of saturation (relative humidity of 100 percent). See more specific definitions and discussion in ART-13 on humidity.

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