What do water, acetone, and alcohol evaporate into?

The correct answer is vapors. When liquids such as water, acetone, and alcohol undergo evaporation, they transition from a liquid state to a gaseous state. The term "vapor" specifically describes the gaseous phase of a substance that is normally a liquid at room temperature; therefore, the transition of these liquids into vapors aligns with their physical behavior during evaporation.

Vapors differ from gases in that they are typically associated with the molecules of a specific liquid that have escaped into the air, often seen in everyday settings like a pot of boiling water or a bottle of nail polish remover. The change occurs when the molecules gain enough energy, typically from heat, allowing them to overcome intermolecular forces and escape into the air.

In contrast, aerosols refer to tiny particles or droplets suspended in the air, which does not accurately describe the transition of the mentioned liquids. Solvents, while related to liquids used to dissolve other substances, do not capture the phase change process occurring during evaporation. Thus, the term "vapors" most accurately represents the state into which water, acetone, and alcohol evaporate.