The Water Cycle

By:greendragon

What exactly is the water cycle? Well the Earth has a limited amount of water. The water is used over and over again. Therefore, the water cycle is the continuous movement of water from the oceans to the air and land and then back to the oceans.

There are six important processes that make up the water cycle. These are:- Evaporation- Transpiration - Condensation- Precipitation- Surface Runoff- Accumulation

Evaporation

As the sun heats up the water in rivers, lakes or

oceans, liquid water becomes water vapor. The

water changes from a liquid to a gas. This is

called the evaporation process.

Transpiration

Water does not only evaporate from bodies of water, itcan evaporate from plants. Transpiration is the processin which the water in plants evaporate into theatmosphere. Water is first absorbed by the plant’s roots.The water moves from the roots through the stems tothe leaves. When the water reaches the leaves, some ofit will evaporate into the atmosphere.

Condensation

As the water vapor, from the evaporation andtranspiration processes, cools it changes from a gasback into a liquid. The water vapor in the air turns intoliquid water. Condensing water forms clouds in the sky.This process is called condensation.

Precipitation

Precipitation will occur when there is too muchcondensed water in the clouds. The clouds get heavyand water is released back to the earth. This can be inthe form of rain, snow, sleet or hail.

Surface Runoff

When water returns to the surface of the earth in theform of snow, rain, sleet and hail, it can land in variousplaces. The process in which precipitation runs off thesurface of the land and flows down hill into streams,rivers, ponds and lakes is called surface runoff.

Accumulation

Small streams will flow into larger streams then intorivers and eventually the water flows into the oceans,seas and lakes which result in accumulation.

Restarting the Water Cycle

As you know, the water cycle is a never ending process.

The water on earth is used over and over again. The

water cycle constantly repeats itself over and over again.

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