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 rainstorm is precipitation. This is because precipitation is the process where water vapor condenses into liquid droplets and falls to the earth's surface in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
After the rainstorm, the water goes through the remaining stages of the water cycle. The first stage is evaporation, where the sun's heat causes the water on the ground and in bodies of water to turn into water vapor and rise into the atmosphere. Evaporation occurs when the water is heated and gains enough energy to change from liquid to gas.
The next stage is condensation. As the water vapor rises into the cooler atmosphere, it starts to cool down and condense into tiny water droplets or ice crystals. These droplets or crystals then gather together to form clouds. This stage is essential for the formation of clouds and the subsequent precipitation.
The final stage is runoff. After the water condenses into clouds, it may accumulate and fall back to the ground as precipitation, continuing the water cycle. Some of the rainwater that falls may enter bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, or oceans, while some may infiltrate into the ground. Runoff occurs when the water flows over the land surface or through the soil, eventually returning to streams, rivers, and other water bodies.
From here, the cycle continues as the water heats up and evaporates again, leading to the formation of clouds and the occurrence of more precipitation in the future. This completes the water cycle, a continuous process that redistributes water across the planet.