The Water Cycle

The water cycle describes how water moves through the environment. It begins with evaporation, where the sun heats water in lakes, rivers, and oceans, turning it into vapor and rising into the air. This vapor cools and condenses into clouds. When clouds become heavy, the water falls as precipitation—rain, snow, or hail. The water then flows back into bodies of water (runoff) or soaks into the ground, replenishing underground stores (infiltration). This continuous process redistributes water, supporting ecosystems and maintaining Earth's climate balance.