Water Cycle Introduction
The water cycle, or hydrologic cycle, continuously moves water within Earth's systems. It's a complex journey involving the sun's energy, where water changes states and traverses the atmosphere, land, and oceans.
Solar Power Drives Cycle
Solar energy is the engine behind water evaporation. Without the sun, water would not evaporate at significant rates, stalling the cycle that supports life by refreshing and purifying Earth's water supply.
Subterranean Water Movements
Not all water travels visibly. Some seeps deep into the ground, recharging aquifers in a slow, hidden journey that can take centuries, impacting water availability and quality on the surface.
Plants Sweat Too
Transpiration is the plant equivalent of sweating. Plants release water vapor into the atmosphere, contributing to cloud formation. This overlooked process accounts for approximately 10% of atmospheric moisture.
Cloud Formation Mysteries
Clouds are more than water droplets; they require aerosols to form. Microscopic particles from volcanoes, sea spray, or pollution provide surfaces for moisture to condense, a process essential for precipitation yet not fully understood.
Precipitation's Varied Forms
Rain, snow, sleet, or hail, precipitation takes many forms. The conditions in the atmosphere determine the type, with some raindrops beginning as ice crystals that melt as they fall.
The Unseen Vapor Flow
Water vapor travels vast distances, even between continents, unseen by the naked eye. This transport can affect weather patterns and, consequently, agricultural productivity far from the vapor's oceanic origins.Ancient Water Molecules
Some water molecules in your glass may have been part of dinosaur-era rain, having cycled through Earth's system for millions of years.
What powers the water cycle?
Wind currents globally
Earth's magnetic field
Sun's solar energy
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