Water Cycle

The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, is a cycle of evaporation and condensation that continuously occurs on earth.

Water evaporates from our many bodies of water as the earth is heated by the sun's rays. This water vapor rises and then cools. The tiny bits of water vapor condense back into liquid form and eventually become heavy enough to fall back down to earth in the form of rain or other precipitation, with much of it replenishing the bodies of water. Thus the water cycle is very important to weather as a whole.

The sun shines and heats a body of water. Moisture from its surface evaporates.

The water vapor then rises into the sky where it begins to cool down. The tiny bits of water vapor come together to form bigger droplets within clouds.

The clouds become bigger and heavier with water droplets. Eventually these water droplets fall to earth again.

The rain falls back on the land and water. The water will again be heated and the process will begin again.