What is one part of the water cycle that is due to energy from the sun?
The sun provides what almost everything on Earth needs to go—energy, or heat. Heat causes liquid and frozen water to evaporate into water vapor gas, which rises high in the sky to form clouds… clouds that move over the globe and drop rain and snow. This process is a large part of the water cycle.
How does gravity affect rain?
Gravity is the force of attraction between two objects, and Earth’s gravity pulls matter downward, toward its center. It pulls precipitation down from clouds and pulls water downhill. Gravity pulls denser air and water downward, forcing less dense air and water to move upward.
Is gravity the same in water?
Gravity works the same way in water that it works in air or a vacuum — but you have to consider the force of gravity on the water as well as on the object you put into it.
What drives the water cycle?
The sun, which drives the water cycle, heats water in oceans and seas. Water evaporates as water vapor into the air. Some ice and snow sublimates directly into water vapor.
What are the terms of the water cycle?
Water cycle, also called hydrologic cycle, cycle that involves the continuous circulation of water in the Earth-atmosphere system. Of the many processes involved in the water cycle, the most important are evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.
What is the precipitation of the water cycle?
Precipitation is a major component of the water cycle, and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the planet. Approximately 505,000 km 3 (121,000 mi 3) of water falls as precipitation each year, 398,000 km 3 (95,000 cu mi) of it over the oceans.
What is an example of a water cycle?
water cycle. Water cycle is defined as the way that water moves between being water vapor to liquid water and then back to water vapor. An example of water cycle is when water evaporates from oceans and then returns to the land in the form of rain.