The Water Cycle

Written by: Paige Leal

The water cycle is how water is able to move all around Earth in a never ending journey. From the deep sea oceans and salt lakes to clouds and rain, water is constantly changing form. This cycle is essential for life because it gives us rain, snow, rivers, and the moisture that every plant and animal depends on. 

Evaporation

The water cycle begins with evaporation. For evaporation to happen, the sun heats up water in rivers, lakes, and oceans and turns it into water vapor (gas). The warm sun gives water energy, and tiny droplets rise up into the air where it is cooler. This process is happening all the time, for example from puddles and soil, as long as the sun is shining.

Condensation

Once water vapor rises into the sky, it cools down and becomes liquid again in a process called condensation. As the water vapor cools, it forms tiny droplets that gather together to make clouds. That’s why you often see clouds forming when moist air rises towards the cold air high above Earth’s surface. 

Precipitation

When the droplets in clouds become too heavy to stay in the air, they fall back to Earth as precipitation. Depending on the temperature, precipitation can come down in many forms such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Precipitation brings water back to the ground, filling rivers, lakes, and oceans again, and continuing the cycle. 

Runoff

After precipitation falls, water travels over the land as runoff. It flows into streams, rivers, and lakes, eventually making its way back to the ocean. Some water also soaks into the ground, becoming groundwater, which plants and animals use and which can feed springs and wells.

The water cycle does more than just move water, it keeps Earth’s climate stable and supports all living things. Without it, life on Earth couldn’t survive, ecosystems would crumble, plants wouldn’t grow, rivers would dry up, and animals would have no fresh water to drink. The cycle also affects weather patterns, making it one of the most important natural processes on the planet.

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