Water Cycle

when liquid water becomes water vapor (gas).

• Water cycle

• Transpiration

• Water vapor

• Evaporation

water vapor cooling and turning back into liquid.

• Transpiration

• Runoff

• Gravity

• Condensation

water falling to Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

• Precipitation

• Gravity

• Groundwater

• Evaporation

water flowing over land back into bodies of water.

• Evaporation

• Gravity

• Runoff

• Sun's energy (Solar energy)

water released from plants into the air as vapor (often paired with evaporation in more advanced models).

• Precipitation

• Water cycle

• Transpiration

• Gravity

the continuous process of water moving through Earth's systems (atmosphere, surface, underground).

• Groundwater

• Evaporation

• Water cycle

• Sun's energy (Solar energy)

the gaseous state of water.

• Water vapor

• Sun's energy (Solar energy)

• Transpiration

• Water cycle

water stored beneath Earth's surface in soil and rock (relevant to pathways of the cycle).

• Condensation

• Groundwater

• Gravity

• Runoff

the driving force that heats water and enables evaporation.

• Sun's energy (Solar energy)

• Precipitation

• Condensation

• Evaporation

the force pulling water downward, contributing to precipitation and runoff.

• Condensation

• Water cycle

• Gravity

• Groundwater