The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, is the continuous process by which water is circulated between the Earth and the atmosphere. It involves the movement of water in three phases: liquid, solid (ice), and gas (water vapor).
The main steps of the water cycle are:
1. Evaporation: Water from oceans, lakes, rivers, and the ground surface evaporates into the air, forming water vapor.
2. Condensation: Water vapor cools and condenses into clouds, forming droplets of water.
3. Precipitation: Water droplets in clouds fall to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
4. Runoff: Precipitation that doesn't get absorbed into the ground flows over the surface as runoff, forming streams, rivers, and lakes.
5. Infiltration: Precipitation seeps into the soil, recharging groundwater aquifers.
6. Percolation: Water moves through the soil and becomes part of the groundwater.
7. Transpiration: Plants absorb water from the soil and release it into the air as water vapor through a process called transpiration.
The water cycle is an essential process that sustains life on Earth, supports agriculture, and shapes our environment.
