The water cycle is an important system that helps move water around our planet. It shows how water travels through the environment and affects different plants and animals. To understand the water cycle better, it's good to know its key processes: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.
Evaporation: This is when heat from the sun turns liquid water into vapor. Most of this happens in the oceans, where about 86% of all evaporation takes place. In fact, about 505,000 cubic kilometers of water go into the air every year through evaporation.
Condensation: As water vapor rises into the sky, it cools down and becomes liquid again. This is how clouds are formed. This step is important because it gathers moisture, which we need for precipitation. There is about 12,900 cubic kilometers of water vapor in the atmosphere, showing how limited but vital this moisture is for our weather.
Precipitation: When tiny water droplets in clouds come together and get bigger, they eventually fall back to Earth as precipitation. This can be rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Every year, around 503,000 cubic kilometers of water returns to the Earth through precipitation. About 77% of this falls in oceans, with the other 23% falling on land.
Runoff: After it rains or snows, water flows over the land and eventually reaches rivers, lakes, and oceans. This runoff is crucial because it helps spread freshwater across the landscape, creating rivers and lakes that support many types of life.
The water cycle affects how water is spread around the world. This distribution isn't equal, though. About 97.5% of Earth's water is salty, mostly found in oceans, while only 2.5% is fresh water. However, most of this freshwater is:
This means that there isn't a lot of fresh water available for us. It's especially important for where people live and how they farm. Areas close to water sources usually have a lot of people and crops because they can water their plants easily. In contrast, dry areas struggle with not having enough water.
The water cycle connects evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff to how water is distributed around the globe. These processes are key to how water moves through our environment, making it important for both nature and humans who depend on freshwater. As our climate changes, knowing about these connections is even more essential for taking care of our water resources.
The water cycle is an important system that helps move water around our planet. It shows how water travels through the environment and affects different plants and animals. To understand the water cycle better, it's good to know its key processes: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.
Evaporation: This is when heat from the sun turns liquid water into vapor. Most of this happens in the oceans, where about 86% of all evaporation takes place. In fact, about 505,000 cubic kilometers of water go into the air every year through evaporation.
Condensation: As water vapor rises into the sky, it cools down and becomes liquid again. This is how clouds are formed. This step is important because it gathers moisture, which we need for precipitation. There is about 12,900 cubic kilometers of water vapor in the atmosphere, showing how limited but vital this moisture is for our weather.
Precipitation: When tiny water droplets in clouds come together and get bigger, they eventually fall back to Earth as precipitation. This can be rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Every year, around 503,000 cubic kilometers of water returns to the Earth through precipitation. About 77% of this falls in oceans, with the other 23% falling on land.
Runoff: After it rains or snows, water flows over the land and eventually reaches rivers, lakes, and oceans. This runoff is crucial because it helps spread freshwater across the landscape, creating rivers and lakes that support many types of life.
The water cycle affects how water is spread around the world. This distribution isn't equal, though. About 97.5% of Earth's water is salty, mostly found in oceans, while only 2.5% is fresh water. However, most of this freshwater is:
This means that there isn't a lot of fresh water available for us. It's especially important for where people live and how they farm. Areas close to water sources usually have a lot of people and crops because they can water their plants easily. In contrast, dry areas struggle with not having enough water.
The water cycle connects evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff to how water is distributed around the globe. These processes are key to how water moves through our environment, making it important for both nature and humans who depend on freshwater. As our climate changes, knowing about these connections is even more essential for taking care of our water resources.