The driving force behind the water cycle and how and why water changes phase is the
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The driving force of precipitation and the water cycle in general is the solar energy from the Sun. There are three different processes that make up the water cycle.
Evaporation
Let's begin the water cycle journey with water on the surface of the Earth. That's where most of the liquid water on the surface is, right? Evaporation is the process by which water is converted from its liquid state to the gaseous state, also known as water vapor. In other words, water leaves the Earth's surface and enters the atmosphere as a gas.
In fact, the United States Geological Survey (the USGS) says that up to 90% of the water vapor in the air comes from surface water, including oceans, lakes and rivers, with the rest coming from plants. When this happens, anything that is in the water, dissolved or undissolved, remains behind. This includes salt, rocks, minerals, and other materials that often end up in the surface water.
Evaporation is a purifying process. One of the ways you can purify sea water is to heat it so it evaporates and then collect the steam. The steam is pure water, and getting it back to a liquid requires our next phase of the water cycle.
Condensation
Condensation is the process by which water vapor is changed back into liquid water. Condensation is very important to our weather and climate because it is what is responsible for cloud formation.
Without clouds, we would not get to the third phase, called precipitation, which we will talk about in a minute. Clouds form when water vapor condenses around small particles, like bits of dust or smoke in the air. Depending on the size of the drops, these particles may or may not be visible. Even on a clear, cloudless day, water vapor is always present in the atmosphere, but it does vary in amounts. We know it is present on a very humid day; it often feels like we need to swim through the air! Fog is condensation near the ground.
Evaporation
Let's begin the water cycle journey with water on the surface of the Earth. That's where most of the liquid water on the surface is, right? Evaporation is the process by which water is converted from its liquid state to the gaseous state, also known as water vapor. In other words, water leaves the Earth's surface and enters the atmosphere as a gas.
In fact, the United States Geological Survey (the USGS) says that up to 90% of the water vapor in the air comes from surface water, including oceans, lakes and rivers, with the rest coming from plants. When this happens, anything that is in the water, dissolved or undissolved, remains behind. This includes salt, rocks, minerals, and other materials that often end up in the surface water.
Evaporation is a purifying process. One of the ways you can purify sea water is to heat it so it evaporates and then collect the steam. The steam is pure water, and getting it back to a liquid requires our next phase of the water cycle.
Condensation
Condensation is the process by which water vapor is changed back into liquid water. Condensation is very important to our weather and climate because it is what is responsible for cloud formation.
Without clouds, we would not get to the third phase, called precipitation, which we will talk about in a minute. Clouds form when water vapor condenses around small particles, like bits of dust or smoke in the air. Depending on the size of the drops, these particles may or may not be visible. Even on a clear, cloudless day, water vapor is always present in the atmosphere, but it does vary in amounts. We know it is present on a very humid day; it often feels like we need to swim through the air! Fog is condensation near the ground.
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