A large rain storm hits your town and it rains all day. How does this event relate to the water cycle, and what happens to the water after the rain storm? First, state which stage of the water cycle is demonstrated by the storm. Next, use the remaining stages of the water cycle to explain what happens to the water as the water cycle is completed. Remember that the stages of the water cycle include evaporation, precipitation, condensation, and runoff.(2 points)
The stage of the water cycle demonstrated by the storm is precipitation. Precipitation is the process where water vapor from the atmosphere condenses into water droplets, which then fall from the atmosphere as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
After the rain storm, the remaining stages of the water cycle come into play. The next stage is runoff. As the rain falls, it creates runoff – the excess water flows over the ground and collects in rivers, lakes, and oceans, or it seeps into the ground to join groundwater reserves.
The next stage is evaporation. The heat from the sun causes the water on the ground, bodies of water, and plants to evaporate, transforming the liquid water into water vapor. This water vapor rises into the atmosphere.
The next stage is condensation. As the water vapor rises into the atmosphere, it mixes with cooler air and condenses into tiny water droplets or ice crystals, forming clouds.
Finally, the cycle starts over with precipitation. The condensed water droplets within the clouds eventually become too heavy and fall back to the Earth's surface as precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, or hail), thus continuing the water cycle.