The water cycle is the simple movement of water on earth. Water keeps circulating to different parts of the earth through rain, rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans that cover 70% of the earth’s surface. We need water for various activities, such as drinking, cooking, washing, bathing, cleaning, and irrigation. Like us animals, plants and other organisms also need water for their survival. The water cycle ensures that water keeps moving on earth to support the survival of living things on earth. Let’s understand how water keeps moving on earth through the water cycle.

What Is a Water Cycle?
Stages of a Water Cycle
Importance of the Water Cycle
Frequently Asked Questions About the Water Cycle

What is the Water Cycle

The water cycle is the process by which water circulates in the earth’s atmosphere from one form to another. In this process, water changes from one form to another. The gaseous form of water is vapor that evaporates in the atmosphere. In liquid form, it pours as rain, and in solid form, it falls as snow. Water keeps changing forms while travelling through the water cycle.

Stages of a Water Cycle

There are different stages involved in this cycle that help water circulate easily. Let’s learn about these stages of the water cycle to understand it in detail.

Evaporation: Evaporation is the process of water turning into a gas due to heat from the sun. The first step in the water cycle is evaporation. When the water from rivers, lakes, ponds, and other water resources evaporates and becomes gas that rises into the atmosphere, we call it water evaporation. Transpiration is the process of evaporation of water from parts of plants such as leaves, stems, and flowers.

Condensation: It is the reverse of the evaporation process. Water in gaseous form cools to form clouds. The water vapor molecules clump together and change into tiny droplets that take the shape of a cloud.

Precipitation: Precipitation is the process of the cloud turning heavier and falling back on earth in the form of rain, snow, or hail.

Collection: The water falling from the sky in solid or liquid form due to precipitation is then collected back into rivers, lakes, and other water bodies, completing the cycle. This collection of water keeps replenishing the water in our natural resources

Importance of Water Cycle

The water cycle is important for us as we need water for all our daily activities, such as cooking, cleaning, washing, drinking, etc.

Fresh Drinking Water: The salty water from the ocean evaporates, leaving salt behind and falls back on earth as fresh water. If there is no water cycle, then the living things on earth will not have fresh water to grow or eat.
Controls Temperature on Earth: The water cycle keeps Earth’s temperature in check through frequent rains. The heat trapped on Earth due to greenhouse gases is reduced to some extent by the water cycle.
Purifies Water: When the water moves through the water cycle, it gets purified. The water in rivers, lakes and ponds gets replenished, supporting the aquatic ecosystem.
Keeps Earth Green: The water cycle is a natural way of vegetation on earth that keeps it green.