The Water Cycle

The water cycle is also called the hydrologic cycle. It is called a 'cycle' because it is a continuous process, and has no beginning or end.

There are five main stages in the water cycle:

Seaside

Courtesy of the EPA

Seaside
Courtesy of the EPA

Seaside

Courtesy of the EPA

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1. Evaporation: the sun heats the water in the ocean and it evaporates into the air.
    
2. Condensation: the warm air rises up into the atmosphere, where it cools and condenses into tiny drops. These drops form clouds.
    
3. Precipitation: the drops in the clouds become too heavy to stay up in the atmosphere. They fall to earth as rain, hail or snow.
    
4. Infiltration: some of the water that falls back to earth infiltrates (seeps) into the ground. This is called groundwater and can be used as a resevoir.
    
5. Runoff: the water eventually drains into the rivers, lakes and back into the ocean.