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The water cycle (or hydrologic cycle or hydrological cycle), is a biogeochemical cycle that involves the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth. The mass of water on Earth remains fairly constant over time. However, the partitioning of the water into the major reservoirs of ice, fresh water, salt water and ...
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. The total amount of water remains essentially constant.
The water cycle is the endless process that connects all of that water. It joins Earth’s oceans, land, and atmosphere. Earth’s water cycle began about 3.8 billion years ago when rain fell on a cooling Earth, forming the oceans. The rain came from water vapor that escaped the magma in Earth’s molten core into the atmosphere.
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.
The water cycle is the path that all water follows as it moves around Earth in different states. Liquid water is found in oceans, rivers, lakes—and even underground. Solid ice is found in glaciers, snow, and at the North and South Poles. Water vapor—a gas—is found in Earth’s atmosphere. Water can be found all over Earth in the ocean, on ...
Credit: NASA. The water cycle describes where water is on Earth and how it moves. Water is stored in the atmosphere, on the land surface, and below the ground. It can be a liquid, a solid, or a gas. Liquid water can be fresh or saline (salty). Water moves between the places it is stored. Water moves at large scales, through watersheds, the ...
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.
Precipitation is a vital component of how water moves through Earth’s water cycle, connecting the ocean, land, and atmosphere.Knowing where it rains, how much it rains and the character of the falling rain, snow or hail allows scientists to better understand precipitation’s impact on streams, rivers, surface runoff and groundwater.Frequent and detailed measurements help scientists make ...
The water cycle or hydrologic cycle describes the complex systems that allow water to move across the Earth and atmosphere. The most basic step of the water cycle is the change of state of water as a liquid, gas or solid in the atmosphere. However, the water cycle also envelops various methods of water transportation and water types such as ...
The ocean plays a key role in this vital cycle of water. The ocean holds 97% of the total water on the planet; 78% of global precipitation occurs over the ocean, and it is the source of 86% of global evaporation. Besides affecting the amount of atmospheric water vapor and hence rainfall, evaporation from the sea surface is important in the ...