--- title: "What is the water cycle?" description: "What is the water cycle?" author: "Mukul Goenka" published: 2023-10-18 updated: 2023-10-20 canonical: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/103883/what-is-the-water-cycle category: "science" tags: ["science"] reading_time: 3 minutes --- # What is the water cycle? ## Answers ### Answer by Saumya Mishra **The [water cycle](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/104309/how-do-lakes-contribute-to-the-water-cycle) shows the continuous movement of water within the Earth and [atmosphere](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2058/robin-wordsworth-re-creates-the-atmosphere-of-ancient-mars). It is a complex system that includes many different processes. Liquid water evaporates into water vapor, condenses to form clouds, and precipitates back to earth in the form of rain and snow.** ***It is also [known as](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/86608/why-c-language-is-known-as-the-mother-of-all-programming-languages-in-modern-world) the hydrological cycle which refers to the movement of the cycle between above, on, and below of earth's surface in different forms*** **Stages of** [**Water**](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/35587/basically-the-heavy-water-is-used-by-which-type-of-industries) **Cycle** Many processes are involved in the movement of water apart from the major steps given in the above water cycle diagram. Listed below are the different stages of the water cycle. ## 1. Evaporation The sun is the ultimate [source of energy](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/story/1008/fruits-are-the-great-source-of-energy-for-human-body), and it powers most of the evaporation that occurs on earth. Evaporation generally happens when water molecules at the surface of water bodies become excited and rise into the air. These molecules with the highest kinetic energy accumulate into water vapour clouds. Evaporation usually [takes place](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/81718/pranab-mukherjee-death-how-last-rites-of-former-president-of-india-takes-place) below the boiling point of water. Another process called **evapotranspiration** occurs when evaporation occurs through the leaves of plants. This process contributes to a large percentage of water in the atmosphere. ## 2. Sublimation Sublimation occurs when snow or ice changes directly into water vapour without becoming water. It usually occurs as a result of dry winds and low humidity. Sublimation can be observed on mountain peaks, where the air pressure is quite low. The low air pressure helps to sublimate the snow into water vapour as less energy is utilised in the process. Another example of sublimation is the phase where fog bellows from dry ice. On Earth, the [primary source](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/41626/what-was-the-primary-source-of-income-in-the-u-s-after-the-revolutionary-war) of sublimation is from the ice sheets covering the poles of the earth. ## 3. Condensation The water vapour that accumulates in the atmosphere eventually cools down due to the low temperatures found at high altitudes. These vapours become tiny water and ice droplets, eventually coming together to form clouds. ## 4. Precipitation Above 0 degrees centigrade, the vapors will condense into water droplets. However, it cannot condense without dust or other impurities. Hence, water vapours attach itself on to the particle’s surface. When enough droplets merge, it falls out of the clouds and on to the ground below. This [process is called](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/35574/when-a-gas-is-turned-into-a-liquid-the-process-is-called) precipitation (or rainfall). In particularly cold [weather](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/35729/what-is-the-name-of-that-process-in-which-oxygen-is-removed) or extremely low air pressure, the water droplets freeze and fall as snow or hail. ## 5. Infiltration Rainwater gets absorbed into the ground through the process of infiltration. The level of absorption varies based on the material the water has seeped into. For instance, [rocks](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/47711/where-the-longest-rail-tunnel-at-present-situated) will retain comparatively less water than soil. Groundwater can either follow streams or rivers. But sometimes, it might just sink deeper, forming aquifers. ## 6. Runoff If the water from rainfall does not form aquifers, it follows gravity, often flowing down the sides of mountains and hills; eventually forming rivers. This process is called runoff. In colder regions, icecaps form when the amount of snowfall is faster than the rate of evaporation or sublimation. The biggest icecaps on earth are found at the poles. All the steps mentioned above occur cyclically with neither a fixed beginning nor an end. --- Original Source: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/103883/what-is-the-water-cycle Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.