Which terms describe the main processes in the water cycle?
The best first place to try on general questions like this is google.
You will find many examples, illustrations, discussions, and videos.
evaporation (the water is a gas), condensation (the water is a cloud), precipitation (the water is rain/snow/sleet/hail), groundwater (the water soaks into the soil and is filtered), runoff (the water runs off into a larger body of water ocean/lake/pond), and collection (the water collects in a large body of water). Then the cycle repeats!
To determine the main processes in the water cycle, we can break it down into the following terms:
1. Evaporation: This process occurs when water from the Earth's surface, such as lakes, rivers, and oceans, is heated by the sun and turns into water vapor. This water vapor rises into the atmosphere.
2. Condensation: As the water vapor rises, it cools down and condenses into tiny water droplets, forming clouds. Condensation is the opposite of evaporation, where water vapor turns back into liquid water.
3. Precipitation: When the water droplets in the clouds become too heavy, they fall back to the Earth in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Precipitation is a crucial part of the water cycle since it replenishes water sources on land.
4. Runoff: When precipitation reaches the Earth's surface, it may either be absorbed into the ground (infiltration) or flow over the surface. Runoff refers to the water that flows over the land, eventually reaching rivers, lakes, and oceans.
5. Transpiration: This process involves the release of water vapor into the atmosphere through plant leaves. Plants absorb water from the ground through their roots and release it as vapor through small openings in their leaves called stomata.
6. Sublimation: In certain circumstances, ice can turn directly into water vapor without melting into liquid water. This process is known as sublimation. It occurs primarily in winter when the temperature is below freezing, and ice turns into water vapor without melting into liquid form.
By understanding these processes, you can appreciate how water continuously cycles through the Earth's atmosphere, land, and bodies of water.