According to the USGS water science school, Condensation is the process by which water vapor in the air is changed into liquid water. Condensation is crucial to the water cycle because it is responsible for the formation of clouds. Condensation is the opposite of evaporation in the water cycle. So how exactly does condensation occur?
The answer lies in the arrangement of the water molecules. Water molecules in the vapor form are arranged more randomly than in liquid water. As condensation occurs and liquid water forms from the vapor, the water molecules become organized in a less random structure, which is less random than in vapor, and heat is released into the atmosphere as a result.
Example: Clouds form in the atmosphere because air containing water vapor rises and cools according to the USGS. The key to this process is that air near the Earth's surface is warmed by solar radiation. However, condensation also occurs at ground level in the form of fog. The difference between fog and clouds which form above the Earth's surface is that rising air is not required to form fog. Fog develops when air having a relatively high humidity content comes in contact with a colder surface, often the Earth's surface, and cools to the dew point.
Cloud formation:
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