What is the longest water cycle?
The residence time in lakes and glaciers varies between 20 and 100 years, but the longest residence times are in the ocean (3,200 years) and in the groundwater (up to 10,000 years). The importance of the water cycle for our climate is significant.
Does the water cycle take a long time?
A drop of water may spend over 3,000 years in the ocean before evaporating into the air, while a drop of water spends an average of just nine days in the atmosphere before falling back to Earth.
Which part of the water cycle holds water for a long period of time?
reservoir
Part of a cycle that holds an element or water for a long period of time is called a reservoir. The ocean is a reservoir for water. The deep ocean may hold water for thousands of years.
How long does water stay in a part of the water cycle?
The length of time that particular water molecules stay in a part of the water cycle is quite variable, but water does stay in certain places longer than others.
What are the steps in the water cycle?
The water cycle is a process where first the water moves from one reservoir to another like from a river to the sea and then to the ocean. The entire process of water cycle takes place in almost five steps which includes the evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff.
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 most of the evaporation in the water cycle occur?
Evaporation from the oceans is the primary mechanism supporting the surface-to-atmosphere portion of the water cycle. After all, the large surface area of the oceans (over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by the oceans) provides the opportunity for such large-scale evaporation to occur.