The Water Cycle

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The water cycle is the everlasting movement of water on Earth. This process has been happening for millions of years. The water cycle is controlled by the sun's gravity. All living things depend on water to survive, so it is fitting to understand this natural process.

The first stage of the water cycle is evaporation. The sun's radiation causes water from oceans, lakes, and streams to rise into the atmosphere. A process called evaporation then occurs by turning the solid water into a gaseous state. The gaseous state the water turns into is called water vapor. The water moves from the hydrosphere, which are bodies of water, to the atmosphere, gases surrounding planet Earth.

The second stage of the water cycle is condensation. In the atmosphere, water vapor droplets turn from …show more content…

Sublimation occurs when ice converts to water vapor, skipping the liquid water. This step depends on the temperature in the atmosphere. If the temperature drastically changes, it will skip the water phase and go straight to the water vapor phase.

The fourth stage of the water cycle is called precipitation. When clouds cannot hold any more water they release it in the form of rain, hail, sleet, or snow. Factors like temperature determine what form of precipitation will fall. It will most likely be rain, but if it is below freezing, it will be either hail, snow, or sleet (a combination of rain and snow).

The fifth stage of the water cycle is called Transpiration. Transpiration is a process where water is turned into vapor by plants. The water is absorbed by the roots and used in photosynthesis. In photosynthesis, the water is converted into sugar along with carbon dioxide by plants.

The sixth stage of the water cycle is called runoff. Runoff is when water moves on the Earth's ground. This can lead to the formations of lakes, streams, springs, and other bodies of water. Runoff water usually gets evaporated, and the cycle

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