What is the water cycle?

The constant movement of water from the earth to the atmosphere as water vapor, and back to earth as rain is known as the water cycle.

It is also known as the hydrologic cycle or the hydrological cycle. In this process, the water on the earth changes into three different states of matter – soltopicId, liqutopicId, and gas. The complete process of the water cycle involves the following process.

Evaporation.

Condensation.

Precipitation.

The sun and the water bodies such as the oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes are the components of the water cycle.

 What happens during this cycle?

 During the daytime, a portion of the earth's surface gets heated up due to the heat produced by the sun.

The water present in this portion of the earth evaporates as water vapor and moves into the atmosphere. Later, it cools down and returns to the earth in the form of rain contributing to rivers, streams, and underground water.

 Water that returns to the earth does not have any salts with it, and hence can be used in our daily life. It is because when the saltwater vaporizes, it loses its salinity.

Various processes involved in the water cycle

Three significant processes that are involved in the water cycle are; Evaporation, Transpiration, and Condensation.

  Evaporation:

 The process in which the water converts into water vapor due to heat is known as evaporation.

It is a process through which the saline water vaporizes and reaches the atmosphere after losing its salts.

  Transpiration:

  Plants use water for the preparation of their food during the process of photosynthesis.

The release of the remaining water into the air by the plants is known as transpiration.

Thus, in plants, the process of evaporating water through leaves when water is absorbed through roots is called transpiration.

Condensation.

 Through the process of condensation, the water returns to the earth in the form of rain.

The process by which a vapor becomes a liqutopicId by cooling down is known as condensation.

This is the process through which the water returns back to the earth in the form of rain, snow, or hail. The water vapor cools down and forms water droplets that come closer together and form clouds.

 Precipitation:

 When more water gets condensed in clouds or condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere results in precipitation. The precipitation can be in the form of rain, snow, hail.

How do oceans and seas get water?

The flow of water towards the oceans

Rainwater falls into rivers, lakes, etc.

The rain droplets fall into oceans, rivers, ponds, seas.

Water from the rivers, lakes, ponds finally flows into the sea and ocean.

Clouds Formation.

Clouds are the white-colored structures that can be seen in the sky with our eyes. These structures are formed by the process of condensation.

 With the increase in height, the air gets cooler. Due to this the water vapor present here condenses to form a tiny drop of water known as droplets. 

These droplets that float in the air are known as clouds.