The Water Cycle (diagram)

The water cycle is the continuous movement of water on, above, and below Earth's surface. It starts with evaporation, where the sun heats water in oceans, lakes, and rivers, turning it into vapor. This vapor rises and cools, forming clouds through condensation. When clouds become heavy, water falls back to the surface as precipitation—rain, snow, or hail. Some of the water then soaks into the ground (infiltration), replenishing aquifers, while the rest flows over land as runoff, returning to bodies of water. This cycle sustains life and shapes Earth's weather patterns.