The Stages
When the sun heats up liquid water, this process occurs
Evaporation
These are the three primary states that water naturally takes on Earth.
Liquid, gas, solid
This provides the main source of energy that drives the entire water cycle
The sun
This term describes water vapor cooling and changing into liquid water droplets.
Condensation
Much of the water that falls to Earth as precipitation flows over the land surface into rivers, lakes, and oceans
Runoff
The temperature at which liquid water changes into a solid (or vice versa)
32 (F) or 0 (C)
Rain, snow, sleet, or hail falling from clouds are all examples of this
Precipitation
Water that is stored beneath the Earth's surface in soil and rock layers
Tiny particles in the air that water vapor condenses around to form clouds
Dust, smoke, or other condensation nuclei
The process by which moisture is carried through plants from their roots and released to the atmosphere as water vapor.
Transpiration
Only about 3% of all the water on Earth is this type
Freshwater
This is the temperature at which water changes from a liquid to a gas.
212 (F) or 100 (C)
The downward movement of water through the soil and into rocks below the Earth's surface.
Infiltration
Where water is the most abundant in the water cycle
The oceans
This force works alongside the Sun's heat to pull precipitation down toward the ground
Gravity