The water cycle is a way that water moves all around the Earth. It never stops and doesn't really have a beginning or an end. It's like a big circle. We'll describe it by starting with water that's on land. For example, water that resides in the ocean or in a lake. Some water on the surface of the ocean will evaporate due to heat from the sun. When it evaporates it turns into vapor water and goes up into the atmosphere. This vapor water gets together with a lot of other vapor water and turns into clouds. Clouds move about the earth with the weather and once they are so full of water they drop the water to Earth in some form of precipitation. It could be rain, snow, sleet, or hail. When the water hits the earth it may fall right back into the ocean or feed a flower or be snow on the top of a mountain. Eventually this water will evaporate and start the whole cycle again. Show  How water goes from land to vapor in the atmosphere There are three main ways that water on land turns into vapor: Evaporation - This is the main process by which water goes from the ground to vapor in the atmosphere. Around 90 percent of the water vapor in the atmosphere got there through evaporation. Evaporation takes place only on the water's surface. It takes energy in the form of heat. Hot water will evaporate more easily than cold water. The sun provides a lot of the energy for evaporation in the water cycle, primarily causing evaporation from the surface of the ocean. Sublimation - This is when water moves directly to vapor from ice or snow without ever melting into water. Good conditions for sublimation to occur is when ice or snow is in very cold conditions, but it is windy and the sun is shining. Transpiration - Transpiration is when plants release water on to their leaves that then evaporates into vapor. Plants will release a lot of water as they grow. Around 10 percent of the water vapor in the atmosphere is estimated to come from transpiration. Water in the atmosphere We see water in the atmosphere in the form of clouds. There is a small amount of water even in clear skies, but clouds are where water has started to condense. Condensation is the process of water vapor becoming liquid water. Condensation is a major step in the water cycle. The atmosphere helps to move water around the world. It takes water that evaporated from the ocean and moves it over land where clouds and storms form to water plants with rain. Precipitation Precipitation is when water falls from the atmosphere back to land. Once enough water gathers in a cloud droplets of water will form and fall to the earth. Depending on the temperature and weather this could be rain, snow, sleet, or even hail. Water storage A lot of the Earth's water does not take part in the water cycle very often., Much of it is stored. The Earth stores water in a number of places. The ocean is the largest storage of water. Around 96 percent of the Earth's water is stored in the ocean. We can't drink the salty ocean water, so fortunately for us, freshwater is also stored in lakes, glaciers, snow caps, rivers, and below the ground in groundwater storage. The water cycle is often taught as a simple circular cycle of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Although this can be a useful model, the reality is much more complicated. The paths and influences of water through Earth’s ecosystems are extremely complex and not completely understood. NOAA is striving to expand understanding of the water cycle at global to local scales to improve our ability to forecast weather, climate, water resources, and ecosystem health. </>The water cycle. (Dennis Cain/NWS) Download Image Water is essential to life on Earth. In its three phases (solid, liquid, and gas), water ties together the major parts of the Earth’s climate system — air, clouds, the ocean, lakes, vegetation, snowpack, and glaciers offsite link. The water cycle shows the continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere. 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. Water in different phases moves through the atmosphere (transportation). Liquid water flows across land (runoff), into the ground (infiltration and percolation), and through the ground (groundwater). Groundwater moves into plants (plant uptake) and evaporates from plants into the atmosphere (transpiration). Solid ice and snow can turn directly into gas (sublimation). The opposite can also take place when water vapor becomes solid (deposition).
New online tool helps communities prepare for coastal flooding To help people prepare for and manage the effects of coastal flooding, NOAA has brought together data from its over 200 coastal water level stations into one easy-to-use web tool. Water influences the intensity of climate variability and change. It is the key part of extreme events such as drought and floods. Its abundance and timely delivery are critical for meeting the needs of society and ecosystems. Humans use water for drinking, industrial applications, irrigating agriculture, hydropower, waste disposal, and recreation. It is important that water sources are protected both for human uses and ecosystem health. In many areas, water supplies are being depleted because of population growth, pollution, and development. These stresses have been made worse by climate variations and changes that affect the hydrologic cycle.
Will it rain on your parade? Where the climate record says it's likely to rain on Fourth of July A look at the historical probability that your Fourth of July picnic will be rained on. Climate change is affecting where, when, and how much water is available. Extreme weather events such as droughts and heavy precipitation, which are expected to increase as climate changes, can impact water resources. A lack of adequate water supplies, flooding, or degraded water quality impacts civilization — now and throughout history. These challenges can affect the economy, energy production and use, human health, transportation, agriculture, national security, natural ecosystems, and recreation.
Tiny particles brighten clouds in the tropics An airborne mission finds a global belt of particle formation is making clouds brighter. The water cycle impacts ecosystems, economies, and our daily lives. The resources in this collection help teachers guide their students beyond the classic water cycle diagram and through the complex social and environmental issues that surround water. The water cycle provides the opportunity to explore the nature of science using models and empirical evidence. |
Facts about the water cycle condensation
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