What are the steps of the water cycle

The water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle, is the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface. It involves various processes that allow water to move through the atmosphere, land, and bodies of water. Here are the steps of the water cycle:

1. Evaporation: The first step of the water cycle is evaporation. This occurs when the sun's heat causes water bodies, such as oceans, lakes, and rivers, to transform from a liquid state into water vapor or gas. The water vapor rises in the atmosphere.

2. Condensation: As water vapor rises and gets higher in the atmosphere, it cools down. The cooler temperatures cause the water vapor to condense into tiny water droplets, forming clouds.

3. Precipitation: When the tiny water droplets in the clouds combine and grow in size, they eventually become heavier and fall back to the Earth's surface as precipitation. Precipitation can occur in various forms, such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

4. Runoff: Once precipitation reaches the Earth's surface, it can flow in different ways. Some of it may flow over the land as runoff, which moves through rivers, streams, and eventually back into larger bodies of water, such as lakes and oceans.

5. Infiltration: Another portion of precipitation seeps into the ground and is absorbed by the soil. This process is called infiltration. The water may also enter underground reservoirs called aquifers, where it can be stored for long periods.

6. Transpiration: Transpiration is the process by which plants absorb water from the soil through their roots. The water then travels through the plant and is released into the air as water vapor through tiny pores on their leaves called stomata. This water vapor contributes to the overall amount of water vapor in the atmosphere and restarts the cycle.

These steps in the water cycle continuously repeat, allowing water to be circulated through different reservoirs and ensuring a continuous supply of water on Earth.