Surface water goes from the liquid to the gas state during which process?

The process in which surface water transitions from a liquid state to a gas state is known as evaporation. This occurs when the temperature of the water increases, causing water molecules to gain enough energy to overcome intermolecular forces and enter the atmosphere as water vapor. Evaporation typically happens under the influence of heat from the sun, and it can occur from bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and oceans, as well as from moist surfaces.

In contrast, infiltration pertains to the movement of water from the surface into the soil and ground, which does not involve a change of state from liquid to gas. Transpiration is the process by which water is absorbed by plants and then released as vapor through pores in their leaves, but this is not the conversion of surface water specifically. Precipitation refers to water falling from the atmosphere to the ground in various forms (like rain, snow, sleet, or hail), and it does not involve the transformation of water from liquid to a gas. Thus, the most accurate choice for the process of surface water changing from a liquid to a gas is evaporation.