Which process in the water cycle returns water to Earth?
The atmosphere is the superhighway in the sky that moves water everywhere over the Earth. Water at the Earth’s surface evaporates into water vapor which rises up into the sky to become part of a cloud which will float off with the winds, eventually releasing water back to Earth as precipitation.
What is it called when water falls from the atmosphere to the Earth?
Precipitation is any liquid or frozen water that forms in the atmosphere and falls to the Earth.
Is the rain a part of the water cycle?
You may think every drop of rain falling from the sky, or each glass of water you drink, is brand new, but it has always been here, and is a part of the water cycle. At its most basic, the water cycle is how water continuously moves from the ground to the atmosphere and back again.
How is groundwater part of the water cycle?
Groundwater is part of this continuous cycle as water evaporates, forms clouds, and returns to earth as precipitation. The Earth endlessly recycles our water supply. Surface water is evaporated from the earth by the energy of the sun. The water vapor forms clouds in the sky.
How is the movement of water related to the hydrologic cycle?
Water is always changing states between liquid, vapor, and ice, with these processes happening in the blink of an eye and over millions of years. Earth’s water is always in movement, and the natural water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth.
Where does the water go when it returns to the ocean?
This invisible vapor rises into the atmosphere, where the air is colder, and condenses into clouds. Air currents move these clouds all around the earth. Water drops form in clouds, and the drops then return to the ocean or land as precipitation – let’s say this time, it’s snow.