paragraph essay on water cycle

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water cycle

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• NASA Science - Water Cycle
• U.S. Geological Survey - The Water Cycle
• Chemistry Libretexts - Water Cycle
• Northwest River Forecast Center - The Water Cycle
• Northwest River Forecast Center - Hydrologic Cycle
• NeoK12 - Educational Videos and Games for School Kids - Water Cycle
• Pennsylvania State University - Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering - Understanding water cycle
• UCAR Center for Science Education - The Water Cycle
• water cycle - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• water cycle - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

water cycle , cycle that involves the continuous circulation of water in the Earth - atmosphere system. Of the many processes involved in the water cycle, the most important are evaporation , transpiration , condensation , precipitation , and runoff . Although the total amount of water within the cycle remains essentially constant, its distribution among the various processes is continually changing.

A brief treatment of the water cycle follows. For full treatment, see hydrosphere: The water cycle .

Evaporation , one of the major processes in the cycle, is the transfer of water from the surface of the Earth to the atmosphere. By evaporation, water in the liquid state is transferred to the gaseous , or vapour, state. This transfer occurs when some molecules in a water mass have attained sufficient kinetic energy to eject themselves from the water surface. The main factors affecting evaporation are temperature , humidity , wind speed, and solar radiation . The direct measurement of evaporation, though desirable, is difficult and possible only at point locations. The principal source of water vapour is the oceans , but evaporation also occurs in soils , snow , and ice . Evaporation from snow and ice, the direct conversion from solid to vapour, is known as sublimation. Transpiration is the evaporation of water through minute pores, or stomata, in the leaves of plants . For practical purposes, transpiration and the evaporation from all water, soils, snow, ice, vegetation, and other surfaces are lumped together and called evapotranspiration , or total evaporation.

Water vapour is the primary form of atmospheric moisture. Although its storage in the atmosphere is comparatively small, water vapour is extremely important in forming the moisture supply for dew , frost , fog , clouds , and precipitation. Practically all water vapour in the atmosphere is confined to the troposphere (the region below 6 to 8 miles [10 to 13 km] altitude).

The transition process from the vapour state to the liquid state is called condensation . Condensation may take place as soon as the air contains more water vapour than it can receive from a free water surface through evaporation at the prevailing temperature. This condition occurs as the consequence of either cooling or the mixing of air masses of different temperatures. By condensation, water vapour in the atmosphere is released to form precipitation .

Precipitation that falls to the Earth is distributed in four main ways: some is returned to the atmosphere by evaporation, some may be intercepted by vegetation and then evaporated from the surface of leaves , some percolates into the soil by infiltration, and the remainder flows directly as surface runoff into the sea. Some of the infiltrated precipitation may later percolate into streams as groundwater runoff. Direct measurement of runoff is made by stream gauges and plotted against time on hydrographs.

Most groundwater is derived from precipitation that has percolated through the soil. Groundwater flow rates, compared with those of surface water, are very slow and variable, ranging from a few millimetres to a few metres a day. Groundwater movement is studied by tracer techniques and remote sensing.

Ice also plays a role in the water cycle. Ice and snow on the Earth’s surface occur in various forms such as frost, sea ice , and glacier ice. When soil moisture freezes, ice also occurs beneath the Earth’s surface, forming permafrost in tundra climates . About 18,000 years ago glaciers and ice caps covered approximately one-third of the Earth’s land surface. Today about 12 percent of the land surface remains covered by ice masses.

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Biology archive

Course: biology archive   >   unit 28.

• Intro to biogeochemical cycles
• Biogeochemical cycles overview

The water cycle

• The carbon cycle
• The nitrogen cycle
• The phosphorus cycle
• Phosphorus cycle
• Eutrophication and dead zones
• Biogeochemical cycles

• The vast majority of Earth's water is saltwater found in oceans. Only a tiny fraction is readily accessible freshwater, which is what humans need.
• Water found at the Earth's surface can cycle rapidly, but much of Earth's water lies in ice, oceans, and underground reservoirs; this water cycles slowly.
• The water cycle is complex and involves state changes in water as well as the physical movement of water through and between ecosystems.
• Groundwater is found underground between soil particles and in cracks of rocks. Aquifers are groundwater reservoirs often tapped by wells.

Water: Why does it matter?

The water cycle drives other cycles., attribution.

• " Biogeochemical cycles " by Robert Bear, David Rintoul, Bruce Snyder, Martha Smith-Caldas, Christopher Herren, and Eva Horne, CC BY 4.0 ; download the original article for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]
• " Biogeochemical cycles " by OpenStax College, Concepts of Biology, CC BY 4.0 ; download the original article for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]

Works cited

• "The World's Water," The USGS Water Science School, last modified May 2, 2016, http://water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherewater.html .
• John W. Kimball, "Transpiration," last modified May 16, 2011, http://www.biology-pages.info/T/Transpiration.html .
• Sunny Datko, "What Is Plant Transpiration?" San Diego Hydro, last modfiied May 30, 2012, http://sdhydroponics.com/2012/05/30/what-is-plant-transpiration/ .

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The Water Cycle, Essay Example

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Water is an important element for the survival of living things.  The hydrologic cycle refers to the precipitation and evaporation of water from the atmosphere and back to the earth. Water on earth is mostly found in the ocean, which covers over 70% of the earth’s surface and is the source for the major reservoir.  In fact, the oceans contain about 97% of the earth’s available water. The hydrologic cycle is driven through solar energy, which causes the water to evaporate into the atmosphere and return to the earth’s surface in the form of precipitation via gravity. Water that falls onto the land can be absorbed through living organisms, such as plants.  Water molecules taken up by plants are returned to the atmosphere in form of evaporation from leaves. Other water molecules are absorbed into the water and undergo photosynthesis through combining with carbon dioxide resulting in high energy molecules referred to as glucose. These glucose molecules are then further broken down during cellular respiration of living organisms into water and carbon dioxide and released back into the atmosphere.

The patterns of both precipitation and evaporation result in the distribution of plants on the earth’s surface.  For instance, this change in hydrologic cycle can be observed in different types of habitats, such as the desert or rain forest.  In deserts, there is a decrease observed in living communities due to the decrease in biological productivity from the lack of water. On the other hand in rain forests, there is an abundance of water resulting in an increased biological productivity.  In these habitats, therefore, different types of plant species and abundance occur. Changes in the hydrologic cycle could results in changes of plant communities in these areas, which thereby effect the distribution of plants on earth.

Living organisms in an ecosystem require both energy and nutrients in order to maintain life activities essential to living organisms, such as growth, development and reproductions. Plants are key to the cycle of energy and nutrients within an ecosystem.  The plants capture sunlight and convert the sunlight into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis. The energy captured through the plants is transferred through the food chain starting with the herbivores. The herbivores eat plants and obtain energy.  Carnivore animals eat the herbivores to obtain energy. Scavengers obtain energy from left over animal remains.  Finally, decomposers obtain energy through decaying material. Sunlight provides the energy that powers life. Nutrients and C N P H20 enter the ecosystem via the non-living components of the planet, such as the atmosphere, earth, or ocean.  Solar energy continually bombards the earth and provides a limitless source of energy.  This flow of energy is limitless since the energy provided from the sun is limitless.  However, the nutrients essential for living organisms is limited.  For instance, the earth only contains a certain amount of available Carbon, Phosphorus, or Nitrogen. The process of photosynthesis provides 1/7 th of the available carbon. Therefore, if cellular respiration were to discontinue and carbon dioxide was not released into the atmosphere, energy for life would also discontinue, as the availability of Carbon would decrease or end for the uptake of plants.  Therefore, the flow of energy and the cycling of nutrients play major roles in the populations within an ecosystem.

The differences in ecosystems depend of two different types of factors. These are abiotic and biotic factors.  The abiotic factors refer to components such as non-living things such as water and light.  The biotic factors are the living community of organisms. Different habitats are comprised of different abiotic and biotic factors.  In a swamp, the most important abiotic factor is water. The water in a swamp has a huge biotic community for micro biotic organisms, such as animal and plant-like protists, fish, plants, insects, amphibians, and reptiles.  Birds and mammals also utilize the swamps as well. All of the biotic community comprises the biotic factors.

Matter and energy flow through an ecosystem when organisms feed on one another, making up the food chain. Food producers are the first chain, such as plants and algae that capture sunlight and convert chemical energy to food via photosynthesis. After the food producers, are the consumers. Consumers consume food producers; therefore, they eat the plant material. Next are the second order consumers, third order consumers and decomposers.

Pyramids were developed to illustrate the energy flow through an ecosystem with the producers on the bottom, consumers, 2 nd order consumers, and third order consumers at the top. This pyramid showed that 16% of the energy is passed on to the consumers, 11% to the secondary consumers, and only 5% to the third order consumers.

The Carbon cycle moves through ecosystems starting with air, since it contains carbon dioxide.  Plants absorb carbon dioxide and break it down to glucose and oxygen. Carbon dioxide also diffuses into water for aquatic plants.  Some of the Carbon atoms are used to build body tissue and other molecules are returned back to the atmosphere. Carbon is also released back to the environment through the burning of wood or fossil fuels. Decomposers also return Carbon to the atmosphere as well. All of these components affect the carbon cycle.

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Paragraph on Water Cycle in English (100, 150, 200, 250 Words)

The water cycle, a fundamental natural process, orchestrates the continuous movement of water on Earth. From evaporation to precipitation and collection, it sustains life by recycling water across oceans, rivers, and land. Understanding its mechanisms is vital for managing water resources sustainably and preserving ecosystems.

(Here, we’ve presented paragraphs in 100, 150, 200 & 250 word samples. All the paragraphs will be helpful for students of all classes i.e. Nursery, LKG, UKG & class 1 to class 12).

Table of Contents

Paragraph on Water Cycle in 100 Words

The water cycle is the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth’s surface. It starts with the evaporation of water from oceans, lakes, and rivers, turning it into water vapor. This vapor rises into the atmosphere, where it cools and condenses into clouds. When the clouds become heavy with water droplets, precipitation occurs in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. This water returns to the Earth’s surface, replenishing bodies of water and nourishing plants. Some of it seeps into the ground, becoming groundwater. Eventually, the cycle repeats, ensuring a constant supply of water for life on Earth.

The water cycle is nature’s way of moving water around the Earth. It starts when the sun heats up water in oceans, lakes, and rivers, causing it to evaporate into the air as water vapor. This water vapor rises into the atmosphere and cools down, turning into tiny droplets to form clouds through a process called condensation. When the clouds get heavy, they release water in the form of precipitation, such as rain, snow, or hail. This water then flows back into oceans, rivers, and lakes, starting the cycle all over again.

The water cycle is a natural process that shows how water moves around the Earth. It begins when the sun warms up water in oceans, lakes, and rivers, making it evaporate into the air as water vapor. This vapor rises into the sky and cools down, turning into tiny droplets to form clouds through condensation. When these clouds get heavy, they release water as precipitation, like rain, snow, or hail. This water then flows back into oceans, rivers, and lakes, restarting the cycle. It’s a continuous journey that ensures water is always moving and replenishing our planet’s water sources.

Water Cycle Paragraph in 150 Words

The water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle, is a fundamental process that continuously circulates water throughout the Earth’s ecosystems. It begins with evaporation, where the sun’s heat causes water from oceans, lakes, and rivers to turn into water vapor and rise into the atmosphere. This water vapor then undergoes condensation, forming clouds when it cools down. These clouds hold water until it precipitates back to the Earth’s surface in the form of rain, snow, or hail. Precipitation replenishes water sources such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater, sustaining ecosystems and human activities.

After precipitation, water flows through various pathways. Some water infiltrates into the ground, replenishing groundwater supplies and feeding springs and wells. Other water runs off the surface into rivers, streams, and eventually into oceans, where the cycle begins anew. This constant movement of water maintains the balance of ecosystems, supporting plant growth, sustaining wildlife habitats, and providing essential resources for human use.

Overall, the water cycle is a vital process that ensures the availability of water for all living organisms on Earth. It regulates the distribution of freshwater across different regions and plays a crucial role in shaping landscapes and climates. Understanding the water cycle is essential for managing water resources sustainably and mitigating the impacts of climate change on water availability.

Paragraph Writing on Water Cycle in 200 Words

The water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle, is a fundamental process that illustrates how water moves and changes states throughout the Earth. It begins with evaporation, where the sun’s heat causes water from oceans, lakes, and rivers to transform into vapor and rise into the atmosphere. This vapor then undergoes condensation, forming clouds when it cools down. Condensation occurs when water vapor in the air loses heat energy, causing it to condense into tiny droplets or ice crystals around particles in the atmosphere.

The next stage in the water cycle is precipitation. Clouds become heavy with condensed water droplets, leading to precipitation in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Precipitation provides essential moisture to land surfaces, replenishing groundwater and surface water sources like rivers and lakes. Following precipitation, the water cycle continues as surface runoff and infiltration.

Surface runoff occurs when precipitation flows over the land surface into streams, rivers, and eventually oceans. Infiltration, on the other hand, happens when precipitation seeps into the ground, replenishing underground water reservoirs known as aquifers.

Groundwater stored in aquifers can later resurface through springs or be drawn up by plants’ roots through a process called transpiration. Transpiration is akin to plants sweating, as they release water vapor through their leaves into the atmosphere.

This water vapor then joins the cycle again, contributing to evaporation and condensation. The water cycle is a continuous and interconnected process that plays a vital role in sustaining life on Earth, ensuring the availability of fresh water for ecosystems, agriculture, and human consumption.         

Writing Paragraph on Water Cycle in 250 Words

The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, is a crucial natural process that sustains life on Earth by continuously recycling water. It involves several stages: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. Evaporation occurs when heat from the sun causes water from oceans, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water to turn into water vapor and rise into the atmosphere. Approximately 90% of evaporation comes from oceans, with the remaining 10% from inland water bodies and transpiration from plants.

Condensation takes place when the water vapor cools and forms tiny droplets, leading to the formation of clouds. These clouds play a vital role in the water cycle as they transport water over large distances, with global cloud cover estimated at about 68% over oceans and 40% over land.

Precipitation occurs when the clouds become saturated with water vapor and release moisture in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. The amount of precipitation varies widely across different regions, with areas like the Amazon rainforest experiencing heavy rainfall, while deserts receive minimal precipitation.

After precipitation, water collects on the Earth’s surface in oceans, lakes, rivers, and underground aquifers. This collected water serves as a vital resource for various purposes, including drinking, agriculture, industry, and supporting ecosystems. Approximately 97.5% of Earth’s water is found in oceans, while the remaining 2.5% is freshwater, with the majority locked in glaciers and ice caps.

Human activities, such as deforestation, urbanization, and climate change, can significantly impact the water cycle. Deforestation reduces transpiration and evaporation, leading to decreased precipitation and altered weather patterns. Urbanization increases surface runoff and reduces groundwater recharge, affecting water availability. Climate change intensifies the water cycle, leading to more frequent and severe droughts, floods, and storms.

In conclusion, the water cycle is a complex and essential process that regulates the distribution of water across the planet. Understanding its different stages and the factors influencing it is crucial for sustainable water management and ensuring the availability of water resources for future generations.

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Water cycle

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Find even more resources on the water cycle in our searchable resource database.

The water cycle is often taught as a simple circular cycle of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Although this can be a useful model, the reality is much more complicated. The paths and influences of water through Earth’s ecosystems are extremely complex and not completely understood. NOAA is striving to expand understanding of the water cycle at global to local scales to improve our ability to forecast weather, climate, water resources, and ecosystem health.

The water cycle. (Image credit: Dennis Cain/NWS)

The water cycle on Earth

Water is essential to life on Earth. In its three phases (solid, liquid, and gas), water ties together the major parts of the Earth’s climate system — air, clouds, the ocean, lakes, vegetation, snowpack offsite link , and glaciers offsite link .

The water cycle shows the continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere. It is a complex system that includes many different processes. Liquid water evaporates into water vapor, condenses to form clouds, and precipitates back to earth in the form of rain and snow. Water in different phases moves through the atmosphere (transportation). Liquid water flows across land (runoff), into the ground (infiltration and percolation), and through the ground (groundwater). Groundwater moves into plants (plant uptake) and evaporates from plants into the atmosphere (transpiration). Solid ice and snow can turn directly into gas (sublimation). The opposite can also take place when water vapor becomes solid (deposition).

See how NOAA science is safeguarding lives, economies, and a healthy water supply.

Water, society, and ecology

Water influences the intensity of climate variability and change. It is the key part of extreme events such as drought and floods . Its abundance and timely delivery are critical for meeting the needs of society and ecosystems.

Humans use water for drinking, industrial applications, irrigating agriculture, hydropower, waste disposal, and recreation. It is important that water sources are protected both for human uses and ecosystem health. In many areas, water supplies are being depleted because of population growth, pollution, and development. These stresses have been made worse by climate variations and changes that affect the hydrologic cycle.

A series of atmospheric rivers starting in late December 2022 through mid-January 2023 dropped feet of rain and snow across California and other parts of the West Coast.

Water and climate change

Climate change is affecting where, when, and how much water is available. Extreme weather events such as droughts and heavy precipitation , which are expected to increase as climate changes, can impact water resources. A lack of adequate water supplies, flooding, or degraded water quality impacts civilization — now and throughout history. These challenges can affect the economy, energy production and use, human health, transportation, agriculture, national security, natural ecosystems , and recreation.

An airborne mission finds a global belt of particle formation is making clouds brighter.

EDUCATION CONNECTION

The water cycle impacts ecosystems, economies, and our daily lives. The resources in this collection help teachers guide their students beyond the classic water cycle diagram and through the complex social and environmental issues that surround water. The water cycle provides the opportunity to explore the nature of science using models and empirical evidence. 

The Process of the Water Cycle Research Paper

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
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Introduction

Water cycle process, works cited.

Nature comprises many processes that recycle various elements to avoid human wastage. Nature does not waste any of its elements and recycles them all including water, air and organic fertility. Recycling of natural elements occurs in order to maintain ecological balance for survival of all living species.

However, human beings have meddled with nature so much that problems such as depletion of ozone layer and global warming are inflicting the human race adversely (Kalman and Sjonger 11). An example of a process in which nature recycles one of its constituent elements is the water cycle. By definition, the water cycle is a continuous movement of water between the earth surface and the atmosphere (Kalman and Sjonger 11).

The water moves from water bodies such as oceans and rivers into the atmosphere and vice versa. It involves several states of matter including solid, gas and liquid in which water changes its form in an unending cycle of precipitation (Kalman and Sjonger 2). The cycle involves several steps that include evaporation, precipitation, run-off and percolation. Each of these steps plays a role in continuing the water cycle.

The water cycle is important in maintaining the right amount of water in nature. In addition, it facilitates the storage of underground water that is used when there is no precipitation (Olien 8). There are several steps involved in the water cycle.

They include evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, sub-surface flow and run-off (Olien 8). In all these steps, water is converted into different states of matter including liquid, gas and solid. Heat exchange is one of the processes that are involved in all the steps. In each of these steps, heat is either lost or gained.

Evaporation

This is the process by which water changes from liquid form to gaseous form (Olien 9). It is the primary process that drives the movement of water from water bodies into the atmosphere in form of water vapor. The main water bodies include oceans, sea, lakes, rivers, dams, streams and ponds.

They provide approximately 90% of the vapor in the atmosphere. The other 10% comes from plants through the process of transpiration (Olien 9). Evaporation takes place when heat from solar energy heats up water in water bodies and causes it to change from liquid to gas. On the other hand, evapotranspiration is the process of water release from the surface of plants and soil due to evaporation (Olien 10).

Transpiration contributes a very low percentage of water vapor in the water cycle. Evaporation is the main process that drives the water cycle. Afterwards, the water vapor rises to the atmosphere and the next step of condensation begins. Research has established that after water molecules rises into the atmosphere, they spend approximately 10 days before being released as precipitation.

Condensation

This is the process by which water vapor changes from vapor into liquid, and is the reverse process of evaporation (Olien 11). Condensation plays a significant part in the water cycle because it results in the formation of clouds. After clouds are formed, they possess the ability to produce precipitation.

Precipitation is the main route through which water returns to the earth surface after the process of evaporation (Olien 11). In times when clouds are not visible, water is still present but in the form of vapor and small water droplets.

Clouds are formed from the combination of these water droplets with atmospheric elements such as dust, smoke and salt. They form tiny cloud droplets that enlarge into clouds as more droplets combine with atmospheric elements. Cloud droplets have different sizes that range from 10 microns to 5 millimeter (Olien 12).

This process takes place in the higher parts of the atmosphere because the weather conditions found there encourage condensation. This is because temperatures are cooler than the lower parts of the atmosphere. As water droplets coalesce, clouds and precipitation may form at the same time. Precipitation refers to clouds in either liquid or solid form falling to the surface of the earth from the clouds (Olien 13).

Precipitation

Precipitation refers to the process by which water is discharged from the atmosphere in a liquid or solid form into the surface of the earth, be it land or water surface (Kalman and Sjonger 16). Precipitation is released from the atmosphere in many forms that include snow, hail, freezing rain, sleet or rain.

It is the main channel that returns water into the surface of the earth. In most cases, precipitation is released as rain. Some precipitation is released from the atmosphere in form of snow, which accumulates in certain places on the ground to form glaciers and icecaps. When temperatures rise during spring, they melt and the water flows back into water bodies.

These structures store water for long periods. Clouds comprise water vapor, which accumulates over a long period to form precipitation (Kalman and Sjonger 16). Precipitation happens when these droplets gain a fall velocity that is greater than the cloud updraft speed. This takes a long time because a single raindrop is made by a combination of millions of tiny cloud droplets.

Surface run-off

This is the runoff of precipitation on the surface of the earth (Kalman and Sjonger 18). When rain hits an impervious surface on the ground, it flows over the surface. This water then flows back into water bodies and evaporates to continue the cycle. It flows into lakes, rivers and streams, from which t floes into the oceans.

Approximately, a complete water cycle takes 9 days. During runoff, water may infiltrate the ground, evaporate or flow back into water bodies. Only about 30% of precipitation that falls from the atmosphere flows back into the oceans. The other 70% evaporates, infiltrates the ground or is transpired (Olien 20). Human beings can also divert surface runoff to desired places for use in agriculture.

Infiltration

This refers to the process of water movement from the earth surface into the ground. A small portion of infiltrated water is held by the shallow soil layer from which it flows horizontally and vertically through the soil layer into the atmosphere (Olien 21). Some water seeps through the ground surface and flows into streams while the rest infiltrates further into the ground and replenishes the ground-water aquifers.

If these aquifers are porous, then people can drill water holes into the aquifers to draw water for domestic and agricultural uses (Kalman and Sjonger 23). Water that infiltrates into the ground stays there for some time before seeping into streams or moving vertically to the surface from where it evaporates.

Ground water storage and discharge

Some water infiltrates into the deep regions of the earth surface and is stored there for long periods. Despite being trapped in the depths of the earth, the water moves slowly since it is part of the water cycle. Ground water is stored in structures known as aquifers. To participate effectively in the water cycle, ground water seeps through the ground and enters the main water bodies by horizontal movement.

The structure of quifers and confining soil and rock layers are the main factors that determine the speed of groundwater movement. In addition, the movement of the water depends on the permeability and porosity of the soil constituents that hold the water. Because of gravity, groundwater moves further downwards into the ground surface and may never move back to the water cycle. It remains trapped in the ground for thousands of years.

Nature comprises many processes that recycle various elements for reuse. Nature has no wastage and recycles all elements including water, air and organic fertility. An example of a process in which nature recycles one of its constituent element is the water cycle. By definition, water cycle is a continuous movement of water between the earth surface and the atmosphere.

The water moves from water bodies found on the surface of the earth to the atmosphere and vice versa. Steps involved in the water cycle include evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, sub-surface flow and run-off. In all these steps, water is converted into different states of matter including liquid, gas and solid. Water evaporates from the surface of the earth, moves into the atmosphere as vapor and condenses to form clouds.

These clouds fall back to the earth surface as precipitation in form of rain, sleet or snow. Some water seeps through the ground surface and flows into streams while the rest infiltrates further into the ground and replenishes the ground-water aquifers. It stays there for some time before seeping into streams or moving vertically to the surface from where it evaporates.

The water cycle is important in maintaining the right amount of water in nature. In addition, it facilitates the storage of underground water that is used when there is no precipitation or during droughts. Some water infiltrates into the deep regions of the earth surface and is stored there for long periods. Despite being trapped in the depths of the earth, the water moves slowly since it is part of the water cycle.

Kalman, Bobbie and Sjonger, Rebecca. The Water Cycle . New York: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2006. Print.

Olien, Rebecca. The Water Cycle . New York: Capstone, 2005. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2018, July 2). The Process of the Water Cycle. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-the-water-cycle/

"The Process of the Water Cycle." IvyPanda , 2 July 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-the-water-cycle/.

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IvyPanda . 2018. "The Process of the Water Cycle." July 2, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-the-water-cycle/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Process of the Water Cycle." July 2, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-the-water-cycle/.

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Hydrologic Cycle

The water cycle describes how water is exchanged (cycled) through Earth's land, ocean, and atmosphere.

Earth Science, Meteorology, Geography, Physical Geography, Geology

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The  water cycle  describes how water is exchanged (cycled) through Earth's land, ocean, and atmosphere. Water always exists in all three phases, and in many forms—as  lakes and  rivers ,  glaciers and  ice sheets , oceans and seas, underground  aquifers , and  vapor  in the air and clouds .

Evaporation , Condensation , and Precipitation

The water cycle consists of three major processes: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

Evaporation

Evaporation is the process of a liquid's surface changing to a gas. In the water cycle, liquid water (in the ocean, lakes, or rivers) evaporates and becomes water vapor.

Water vapor surrounds us, as an important part of the air we breathe. Water vapor is also an important  greenhouse gas . Greenhouse gases such as water vapor and carbon dioxide  insulate Earth and keep the planet warm enough to maintain life as we know it. Increasing amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere also contribute to global warming.

The water cycle 's e vaporation process is driven by the sun. As the sun interacts with liquid water on the surface of the ocean, the water becomes an invisible gas (water vapor ). E vaporation is also influenced by  wind ,  temperature , and the  density  of the body of water.

Condensation

Condensation is the process of a gas changing to a liquid. In the water cycle, water vapor in the atmosphere condenses and becomes liquid.

Condensation can happen high in the atmosphere or at ground level.  Clouds form as water vapor condenses, or becomes more concentrated (dense). Water vapor condenses around tiny particles called  cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) . CCN can be specks of dust, salt, or  pollutants . Clouds at ground level are called  fog  or mist.

Like e vaporation , condensation is also influenced by the sun. As water vapor cools, it reaches its saturation limit, or  dew point .  Air pressure  is also an important influence on the dew point of an area.

Precipitation

As is the case with evaporation and condensation, precipitation is a process. Precipitation describes any liquid or solid water that falls to Earth as a result of condensation in the atmosphere. Precipitation includes rain, snow, and hail.

Fog is not precipitation. The water in fog does not condense sufficiently to precipitate, or liquefy and fall to Earth. Fog and mist are a part of the water cycle called suspensions: They are liquid water suspended in the atmosphere.

Precipitation is one of many ways water is cycled from the atmosphere to the earth or ocean.

Other Processes

Evaporation, condensation, and precipitation are important parts of the water cycle. However, they are not the only ones.

Runoff , for instance, describes a variety of ways liquid water moves across land.  Snowmelt , for example, is an important type of runoff produced as snow or glaciers melt and form streams or pools.

Transpiration  is another important part of the water cycle . Transpiration is the process of water vapor being released from plants and soil. Plants release water vapor through  microscopic   pores called  stomata . The opening of stomata is strongly influenced by light, and so is often associated with the sun and the process of e vaporation .  Evapotranspiration  is the combined components of e vaporation and transpiration , and is sometimes used to evaluate the movement of water in the atmosphere.

States of Water

Through the water cycle, water continually circulates through three states: solid, liquid, and vapor.

Ice is solid water. Most of Earth's fresh water is ice, locked in massive glaciers, ice sheets, and ice caps .

As ice melts, it turns to liquid. The ocean, lakes, rivers, and underground aquifers all hold liquid water.

Water vapor is an invisible gas. Water vapor is not evenly distributed across the atmosphere. Above the ocean, water vapor is much more abundant, making up as much as four percent of the air. Above isolated deserts, it can be less than one percent.

The Water Cycle and Climate

The water cycle has a dramatic influence on Earth's climate and  ecosystems .

Climate is all the  weather  conditions of an area, evaluated over a period of time. Two weather conditions that contribute to climate include humidity and temperature . These weather conditions are influenced by the water cycle .

Humidity is simply the amount of water vapor in the air. As water vapor is not evenly distributed by the water cycle, some regions experience higher humidity than others. This contributes to radically different climates. Islands or coastal regions, where water vapor makes up more of the atmosphere, are usually much more humid than inland regions, where water vapor is scarcer.

A region's temperature also relies on the water cycle . Through the water cycle , heat is exchanged and temperatures   fluctuate . As water e vaporates , for example, it absorbs energy and cools the local environment. As water condenses, it releases energy and warms the local environment.

The Water Cycle and the Landscape

The water cycle also influences the  physical geography  of Earth. Glacial melt and  erosion  caused by water are two of the ways the water cycle helps create Earth's physical features.

As glaciers slowly expand across a landscape , they can carve away entire  valleys , create mountain peaks, and leave behind rubble as big as boulders. Yosemite Valley , part of Yosemite National Park in the U.S. state of California, is a  glacial valley . The famous Matterhorn, a peak on the Alps between Switzerland and Italy, was carved as glaciers collided and squeezed up the earth between them. Canada's "Big Rock" is one of the world's largest " glacial erratics ," boulders left behind as a glacier advances or retreats.

Glacial melt can also create  landforms . The  Great Lakes , for example, are part of the landscape of the Midwest of the United States and Canada. The Great Lakes were created as an enormous ice sheet melted and retreated, leaving liquid pools.

The process of erosion and the movement of runoff also create varied landscapes across Earth's surface. Erosion is the process by which earth is worn away by liquid water, wind, or ice.

Erosion can include the movement of runoff. The flow of water can help carve enormous canyons, for example. These canyons can be carved by rivers on high plateaus (such as the Grand Canyon, on the Colorado Plateau in the U.S. state of Arizona). They can also be carved by  currents deep in the ocean (such as the Monterey Canyon, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the U.S. state of California).

Reservoirs and Residence Time

Reservoirs are simply where water exists at any point in the water cycle. An underground aquifer can store liquid water, for example. The ocean is a reservoir. Ice sheets are reservoirs. The atmosphere itself is a reservoir of water vapor.

Residence time  is the amount of time a water molecule spends in one reservoir. For instance, the residence time of "fossil water," ancient  groundwater  reservoirs, can be thousands of years.

Residence time for water in the Antarctic ice sheet is about 17,000 years. That means that a molecule of water will stay as ice for about that amount of time.

The residence time for water in the ocean is much shorter—about 3,200 years.

The residence time of water in the atmosphere is the shortest of all—about nine days.

Calculating residence time can be an important tool for developers and engineers. Engineers may consult a reservoir's residence time when evaluating how quickly a pollutant will spread through the reservoir, for instance. Residence time may also influence how communities use an aquifer.

Breaking the Cycle The water cycle can change. Glacial retreat is the process in which glaciers melt faster than their ice can be replaced by precipitation. Glacial retreat limits the amount of fresh water available on Earth. We are experiencing the fastest rate of glacial retreat in recorded history.

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