Question

explain the 3 main steps of water cycle

Answer 1

Answer:

The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, is the continuous movement of water from the earth’s surface to the atmosphere and then back to the ground. It is a continuous process. Hence, it does not have a starting or an ending point.

Explanation:

The steps involved in a complete water cycle are:

• Step I: Evaporation and Transpiration The sun’s energy heats up the lakes, rivers, oceans, swamps and other water bodies which subsequently increase the temperature of the water present in them. Consequently, some of the water evaporates as vapour into the air. The rising air currents take the vapour up in the sky. Simultaneously, plants and trees also lose water to the atmosphere in the form of vapour which rises up in the sky.

Step II: Condensation As the vapours rise high, the cooler temperatures make them cool down and turn back into liquid – condensation. Wind and air currents move the moisture around, leading to the formation of clouds.

• Step III: Precipitation Wind movements cause the clouds particles to collide. As they become water laden, they develop into rain bearing clouds and fall back onto the earth’s surface by the process known as precipitation. This may occur in the form of rain, hail, snow or sleet depending upon the temperature conditions.

Step IV: Runoff and Infiltration The precipitation either runs off into oceans, rivers and ground surface or is absorbed into the soil (infiltration).