The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle or the H2O cycle, describes the

continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth. The mass of
water on Earth remains fairly constant over time but the partitioning of the water into the major
reservoirs of ice, fresh water, saline water and atmospheric water is variable depending on a
wide range of climatic variables. The water moves from one reservoir to another, such as from
river to ocean, or from the ocean to the atmosphere, by the physical processes
of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff, and subsurface flow. In doing so,
the water goes through different phases: liquid, solid (ice), and gas (vapor).
The water cycle involves the exchange of energy, which leads to temperature changes. For
instance, when water evaporates, it takes up energy from its surroundings and cools the
environment. When it condenses, it releases energy and warms the environment. These heat
exchanges influence climate.
The evaporative phase of the cycle purifies water which then replenishes the land with
freshwater. The flow of liquid water and ice transports minerals across the globe. It is also
involved in reshaping the geological features of the Earth, through processes
including erosion and sedimentation. The water cycle is also essential for the maintenance of
most life and ecosystems on the planet.

Description[edit]
The sun, which drives the water cycle, heats water in oceans and seas. Water evaporates as
water vapour into the air. Ice,rain and snow can sublimate directly into water
vapour. Evapotranspiration is water transpired from plants and evaporated from the soil. Rising
air currents take the vapour up into the atmosphere where cooler temperatures cause it to
condense into clouds. Air currents move water vapour around the globe, cloud particles collide,
grow, and fall out of the upper atmospheric layers as precipitation. Some precipitation falls as
snow or hail, sleet, and can accumulate as ice caps and glaciers, which can store frozen water
for thousands of years. Most water falls back into the oceans or onto land as rain, where the
water flows over the ground as surface runoff. A portion of runoff enters rivers in valleys in the
landscape, with streamflow moving water towards the oceans. Runoff and water emerging from
the ground (groundwater) may be stored as freshwater in lakes. Not all runoff flows into rivers,
much of it soaks into the ground as infiltration. Some water infiltrates deep into the ground and
replenishes aquifers, which can store freshwater for long periods of time. Some infiltration stays
close to the land surface and can seep back into surface-water bodies (and the ocean) as

groundwater discharge. Some groundwater finds openings in the land surface and comes out as
freshwater springs. In river valleys and flood-plains there is often continuous water exchange
between surface water and ground water in the hyporheic zone. Over time, the water returns to
the ocean, to continue the water cycle.

Processes[edit]
Precipitation
Condensed water vapor that falls to the Earth's surface . Most precipitation occurs
as rain, but also includes snow, hail, fog drip,graupel, and sleet.[1] Approximately
505,000 km3 (121,000 cu mi) of water falls as precipitation each year,
398,000 km3(95,000 cu mi) of it over the oceans.[2] The rain on land contains
107,000 km3 (26,000 cu mi) of water per year and a snowing only 1,000 km3 (240 cu mi).
[3]
78% of global precipitation occurs over the ocean.[4]
Canopy interception
The precipitation that is intercepted by plant foliage, eventually evaporates back to the
atmosphere rather than falling to the ground.
Snowmelt
The runoff produced by melting snow.
Runoff
The variety of ways by which water moves across the land. This includes both surface
runoff and channel runoff. As it flows, the water may seep into the ground, evaporate into
the air, become stored in lakes or reservoirs, or be extracted for agricultural or other
human uses.
Infiltration
The flow of water from the ground surface into the ground. Once infiltrated, the water
becomes soil moisture or groundwater.[5]
Subsurface flow
The flow of water underground, in the vadose zone and aquifers. Subsurface water may
return to the surface (e.g. as a spring or by being pumped) or eventually seep into the
oceans. Water returns to the land surface at lower elevation than where it infiltrated,
under the force of gravity or gravity induced pressures. Groundwater tends to move
slowly, and is replenished slowly, so it can remain in aquifers for thousands of years.
Evaporation
The transformation of water from liquid to gas phases as it moves from the ground or
bodies of water into the overlying atmosphere.[6] The source of energy for evaporation is
primarily solar radiation. Evaporation often implicitly includes transpiration from plants,
though together they are specifically referred to as evapotranspiration. Total annual
evapotranspiration amounts to approximately 505,000 km3 (121,000 cu mi) of water,
434,000 km3 (104,000 cu mi) of which evaporates from the oceans.[2] 86% of global
evaporation occurs over the ocean.[4]
Sublimation
The state change directly from solid water (snow or ice) to water vapor.[7]
Deposition
This refers to changing of water vapor directly to ice.

Advection
The movement of water in solid, liquid, or vapor states through the atmosphere.
Without advection, water that evaporated over the oceans could not precipitate over
land.[8]
Condensation
The transformation of water vapor to liquid water droplets in the air, creating clouds and
fog.[9]
Transpiration
The release of water vapor from plants and soil into the air. Water vapor is a gas that
cannot be seen.
Percolation
Water flows vertically through the soil and rocks under the influence of gravity
Plate tectonics
Water enters the mantle via subduction of oceanic crust. Water returns to the surface via
volcanism.

Effects on climate[edit]
The water cycle is powered from solar energy. 86% of the global evaporation occurs from the
oceans, reducing their temperature by evaporative cooling.[19] Without the cooling, the effect of
evaporation on the greenhouse effect would lead to a much higher surface temperature of 67 C
(153 F), and a warmer planet.[citation needed]
Aquifer drawdown or overdrafting and the pumping of fossil water increases the total amount of
water in the hydrosphere, and has been postulated to be a contributor to sea-level rise.[20]
Effects on biogeochemical cycling[edit]
While the water cycle is itself a biogeochemical cycle,[21] flow of water over and beneath the
Earth is a key component of the cycling of other biogeochemicals. Runoff is responsible for
almost all of the transport of eroded sediment and phosphorus[22] from land to waterbodies.
The salinity of the oceans is derived from erosion and transport of dissolved salts from the land.
Cultural eutrophication of lakes is primarily due to phosphorus, applied in excess to agricultural
fields in fertilizers, and then transported overland and down rivers. Both runoff and groundwater
flow play significant roles in transporting nitrogen from the land to waterbodies.[23] The dead
zone at the outlet of the Mississippi River is a consequence of nitrates from fertilizer being

carried off agricultural fields and funnelled down the river system to the Gulf of Mexico. Runoff
also plays a part in thecarbon cycle, again through the transport of eroded rock and soil.[24]
Evaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs from the surface of a liquid into a
gaseous phase that is not saturated with the evaporating substance. The other type of
vaporization is boiling, which is characterized by bubbles of saturated vapor forming in the liquid
phase. Steam produced in a boiler is another example of evaporation occurring in a saturated
vapor phase. Evaporation that occurs directly from the solid phase below the melting point, as
commonly observed with ice at or below freezing or moth crystals (napthalene or
paradichlorobenzine), is called sublimation.

Condensation is the change of water from its gaseous form (water vapor) into liquid
water. Condensation generally occurs in the atmosphere when warm air rises, cools
and looses its capacity to hold water vapor. As a result, excess water vapor condenses
to form cloud droplets. The upward motions that generate clouds can be produced
by convection in unstable air,convergence associated with cyclones, lifting of air
by fronts and lifting over elevated topography such as mountains.
Melting is a physical process that results in the phase transition of a substance from a solid to
a liquid. The internal energy of a substance is increased, typically by the application of heat or
pressure, resulting in a rise of its temperature to the melting point, at which the ordering of ionic
or molecular entities in the solid breaks down to a less ordered state and the solid liquefies. An
object that has melted completely is molten. Substances in the molten state generally have
reduced viscosity with elevated temperature; an exception to this maxim is the element sulfur,
whose viscosity increases to a point due to polymerization and then decreases with higher
temperatures in its molten state.[1]
precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapour that falls under
gravity.[1] The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, graupel and hail.
Precipitation occurs when a portion of the atmosphere becomes saturated with water vapour, so
that the water condenses and "precipitates".
Evaporation: This is when warmth from the sun causes water from oceans, lakes, streams,
ice and soils to rise into the air and turn into water vapour (gas). Water vapour droplets join
together to make clouds!
Condensation: This is when water vapour in the air cools down and turns back into liquid
water.
Precipitation: This is when water (in the form of rain, snow, hail or sleet) falls from clouds
in the sky.
Collection: This is when water that falls from the clouds as rain, snow, hail or sleet, collects
in the oceans, rivers, lakes, streams. Most will infiltrate (soak into) the ground and will
collect as underground water.