Hydrologic Cycle + Infiltration Terms

Evaporation

The process by which water changes from liquid form to an atmospheric gas

Condensation

Change in state from a gas to a liquid

Precipitation

Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface

Runoff

Water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground

Infiltration

Downward movement of water through soil.

Transpiration

Evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant

Groundwater

Water that fills the cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layers

Accumulation

The process in which water pools in large bodies (like oceans, seas and lakes)

Pores

Space between soil or rock particles

Porosity

Tells us how much water a rock or soil can retain, based on the volume of pore space

Permeability

A measure of how easily water can travel through porous soil or bedrock. It describes how well connected the pores are in the soil or rock.