What increases the rate of evaporation from a material?

Increasing the material temperature effectively raises the rate of evaporation from it. When the temperature of a material increases, the kinetic energy of its molecules also increases. This heightened energy allows more molecules to overcome their intermolecular forces, transitioning from a liquid state to a vapor state. As a result, evaporation occurs more rapidly at higher temperatures, leading to enhanced drying processes.

In contrast, decreasing the air temperature generally slows down the evaporation process because cooler air cannot hold as much moisture, and the lower kinetic energy of molecules means fewer transitions from liquid to vapor. Reducing the surface area of the material limits the space available for evaporation, which would decrease the overall rate of moisture removal. Lastly, adding weight to the material does not facilitate evaporation; instead, it may hinder the release of moisture as it makes the material denser and potentially traps water within. Thus, increasing the material temperature is the most effective way to enhance the evaporation rate.