The water cycle includes Choose
Choose
oceans and rivers only.
evaporation and precipitation.
climate and evaporation.
lakes and rivers only.
evaporation and precipitation.
The water cycle includes evaporation and precipitation.
The correct answer is "evaporation and precipitation."
To arrive at this answer, we need to understand the components and processes of the water cycle. The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the movement of water on Earth. It involves several processes, including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and surface runoff.
Evaporation is when water changes from a liquid state to a gaseous state, typically by the heat from the Sun. This process occurs primarily in bodies of water like oceans, lakes, and rivers, but it can also happen from moist soil and plants through a process called transpiration.
After water evaporates, it rises into the atmosphere and cools down, leading to condensation. Condensation is the process where water vapor turns back into liquid form, forming clouds. These clouds then undergo further condensation, and when water droplets become large enough, they fall back to the Earth's surface as precipitation.
Precipitation is the release of moisture from the atmosphere in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. It can occur over oceans, in the form of rainfall directly into rivers, or over landmasses where it can be collected in lakes and rivers. Precipitation replenishes water bodies and is a crucial part of maintaining the water cycle.
Therefore, oceans and rivers alone do not capture the full extent of the water cycle. The water cycle includes the processes of evaporation and precipitation, which have significant impacts on Earth's climate and water distribution.