Why is a larger open water surface area important for evaporation?

Correct answer: More molecules get contact with air and chance to escape

Correct answer: A. Evaporation is a surface process: molecules leave from the exposed surface of a liquid and enter the air as vapour. If the same amount of water is spread over a larger open area, more water molecules are in contact with air at the same time, so the potential rate of evaporation increases. Actual evaporation also depends on temperature, wind, dryness of air, and the nature of the surface, but exposed area is an important factor. B is wrong because surface area does affect the number of molecules exposed to air. C is wrong because increasing area does not freeze water; freezing depends mainly on temperature and other conditions. D is wrong because a larger water surface does not automatically remove oxygen from the air. For example, shallow, spread-out water generally dries faster than the same water kept in a deep narrow vessel. Memory cue: evaporation starts at the exposed surface, not throughout the whole liquid at once.