The water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle, describes the continuous movement of water through the Earth's atmosphere, surface, and underground. This natural process begins with evaporation, where heat from the sun causes water from oceans, rivers, and lakes to turn into vapor. This vapor rises and cools in the atmosphere, forming clouds in a process called condensation. Eventually, the water returns to the surface as precipitation rain, snow, sleet, or hail depending on temperature and weather conditions.
Once the water reaches the ground, it either flows over the surface as runoff into bodies of water or soaks into the soil through infiltration, replenishing underground water reserves known as aquifers. Some of the water is absorbed by plants and later released into the air through transpiration, contributing to the cycle again. This ongoing process is crucial for maintaining ecosystems, regulating climate, and supplying fresh water for all living organisms. Without the water cycle, life on Earth would not be possible. Shutdown123