Question

Water cycle drawing.

Answer 1

Water cycle:

1. Water cycle is an important hydrological and biogeochemical cycle which maintains and balances the flow of water through several levels of the ecosystem.
2. It is a natural process that constantly recycles the water in our surrounding atmosphere.
3. The water tends to move between earth and the atmosphere in its three states namely: solid, liquid, and gas.
4. Four stages of the water cycle are evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation and Collection.

Evaporation-

1. It is the initial stage of the water cycle where the water from the earth’s surface changes its state into invisible water vapours due to the heat of sunlight.
2. The temperature in water bodies decreases and the water evaporates which then gets mixed with the air.

Condensation-

1. The evaporated water i.e., water vapours in the atmosphere loses their thermal energy.
2. As the vapours reach higher altitudes, the temperature increases and the cool atmosphere leads to the condensation of vapour.
3. Here, the vapours are again converted into water droplets.
4. Cloud formation is an example of condensation.

Precipitation-

1. Precipitation is the stage after condensation when the water droplets are large enough and fall back to the surface of the earth with the help of gravity.
2. Rain, snow, and hail are some examples of precipitation.

Collection-

1. It is also known as the deposition stage, the final stage of the water cycle.
2. The water droplets fall back on the earth as precipitation and are collected into different water bodies.
3. The water bodies are namely: oceans, ponds, rivers, lakes, etc.
4. Some falls on the land which becomes part of the groundwater.