How are clouds formed concerning water vapor?

Clouds are formed when water vapor in the atmosphere undergoes a process known as condensation. This occurs when water vapor, which is the gaseous state of water, rises and cools in the atmosphere. As the temperature drops, the water vapor can no longer remain in a gaseous state and transitions back into liquid water, forming tiny droplets that cluster together to create clouds.

The sequence of evaporation followed by condensation is crucial to this process. Initially, water from the surface (like lakes, rivers, and oceans) evaporates, transforming from liquid to vapor due to heat. This water vapor then rises and cools as it reaches higher altitudes in the atmosphere. Upon cooling, the vapor condenses around small particles (like dust or salt) in the air, leading to cloud formation.

The other options do not accurately describe the correct process involved in cloud formation. Sublimation refers to the direct transition of a substance from solid to gas, and vaporization generally refers to the phase change from liquid to gas without the cooling that occurs during the condensation process. Therefore, the correct flow of events for cloud formation is indeed evaporation followed by condensation.