The Water Cycle

Water Cycle

The movement of water between the atmosphere, land, oceans, and living things.

Evaporation

The process where liquid water changes into water vapor; about 90% of water reaching the atmosphere comes from evaporation.

Three states of water

Water exists in three states: Liquid, Ice, and Water Vapor.

Condensation

The process by which water vapor changes back into liquid water or ice, allowing it to fall back to Earth as precipitation.

Runoff

Water that flows over land, including rivers, streams, and other bodies of water.

Infiltration

The process by which water seeps into the ground and becomes groundwater.

Gravitational pull on glaciers

Gravity pulls glaciers downhill, affecting the movement of large amounts of frozen water.

Ocean Circulation

The movement of water within the oceans, including surface currents and deep ocean currents that transport water from ocean to ocean.