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 Response area, or change from a liquid to a gas called Response area, which rises into the atmosphere and cools.
As it cools, the gas begins to Response area, or change back into a liquid, and millions of tiny drops of water form into clouds. Then the larger droplets of water fall to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, or hail, which are all forms of Response area.
Finally, this water can seep into the ground or fall into a larger body of water. Eventually, the water evaporates again, and the cycle repeats itself.
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, or change from a liquid to a gas called water vapor, which rises into the atmosphere and cools.
As it cools, the gas begins to condense, or change back into a liquid, and millions of tiny drops of water form into clouds. Then the larger droplets of water fall to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, or hail, which are all forms of precipitation.
Finally, this water can seep into the ground or flow into a larger body of water. Eventually, the water evaporates again, and the cycle repeats itself.
The water cycle starts when the sun's energy causes water from oceans, lakes, and rivers to evaporate, changing it from a liquid to a gas called water vapor. This water vapor rises into the atmosphere and cools.
As it cools, the water vapor condenses and forms tiny liquid water droplets. These droplets come together to form clouds.
Eventually, the larger droplets in the clouds become heavy enough and they fall to the ground as precipitation. Precipitation can take the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
Once the water reaches the ground, it can follow different paths. It may seep into the ground and become groundwater, or it may flow into a larger body of water like a river, lake, or ocean.
Over time, the water may evaporate again from the ground, bodies of water, or even plants through a process called transpiration. This water vapor once again rises into the atmosphere, where it cools and condenses, forming clouds.
And thus, the water cycle continues, with water constantly moving between the Earth's surface and the atmosphere.