Water Cycle

The Water Cycle

Evaporation:  Heat from the Sun causes water on Earth (in oceans, lakes etc) to evaporate (turn from liquid  into gas) and rise into the sky. This water vapor collects in the sky in the form of clouds. Condensation: As water vapor in the clouds cools down it becomes water again, this process is called  condensation. Precipitation: Water falls from the sky in the form of rain, snow, hail, or sleet, this process is called  precipitation. Collection: Oceans and lakes collect water that has fallen. Water evaporates into the sky again and the  cycle continues. Transpiration: In a process similar to sweating, plants lose water which is absorbed into the atmosphere  much like evaporation. The combination of evaporation and transpiration is known as  evapotranspiration. Sublimation: It is possible for a solid to transform into a gas directly (without becoming a liquid). The most  common example of sublimation is dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) which sublimes at normal air temperature. Under certain conditions snow and ice can also sublime. More information here:  Clouds, Condensation, Evaporation, and the Water Cycle