Earth’s water is always moving in a process called the water cycle. This process transfers water from Earth’s surface into the atmosphere and back again. First, the sun's energy makes water from oceans, lakes, and rivers
evaporate into the atmosphere. This is the process of evaporation. As the water evaporates, it forms water vapor, which is a gas.
Once in the atmosphere, the water vapor rises and cools down as it moves higher into the atmosphere. This cooling causes the water vapor to condense and form clouds. This process is called condensation.
As the water vapor condenses into clouds, the tiny water droplets or ice crystals come together and combine to form larger droplets or crystals. When these droplets or crystals become too heavy to stay in the cloud, they fall to the Earth's surface as precipitation. Precipitation can come in various forms such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail, depending on the temperature.
When precipitation reaches the Earth's surface, it can take different paths. Some of it will flow over the land's surface as runoff, eventually making its way into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Some of it will seep into the ground, becoming groundwater. Some of it will be absorbed by plants and trees, which then release it back into the atmosphere through a process called transpiration.
Once the water is on the Earth's surface, it will either continue to evaporate, forming water vapor in the air once again, or it will be used by living organisms, absorbed by plants, or absorbed into the ground. This process is known as infiltration.
The water cycle is a continuous process, with water constantly moving from the Earth's surface into the atmosphere and back again. It plays a crucial role in the distribution and availability of water on Earth, supporting life and maintaining ecosystems.
evaporate into the atmosphere. The heat from the sun causes water molecules to gain energy and become water vapor, which is a gas. This process is known as evaporation.
Next, the water vapor rises into the atmosphere and cools down. As it cools, the water vapor condenses around tiny particles in the air, forming clouds. This process is called condensation.
Once the water vapor condenses into clouds, the clouds can move through the atmosphere due to the winds. These clouds can then further condense to form larger droplets or ice crystals.
When the droplets or ice crystals in the clouds become too heavy, they fall back to the Earth's surface as precipitation. Precipitation can take the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail, depending on the temperature.
Once the precipitation reaches the ground, it may flow over the surface as runoff, or it may seep into the ground as infiltration. Runoff collects in rivers, lakes, and oceans, eventually returning to the sea.
Some of the precipitation that infiltrates the ground will become groundwater. This groundwater may remain stored underground or flow through underground layers of soil and rock known as aquifers.
The water cycle is a continuous and interconnected process that ensures the availability of water on Earth. It is driven by the energy from the sun and influenced by various factors such as temperature, wind patterns, and the Earth's landscape.