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Question

Write a note on water cycle?


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Solution

Answer:

The water cycle, or hydrological cycle, is the continuous movement of water from the surface of the Earth to the atmosphere and back to the ground. It is an ongoing operation. Therefore it has no beginning point or ending point.

Since the Earth’s evolution, the water found on Earth is in circulation. In the process, water passes through all three states, the solid phase, liquid phase and gas phase. A variety of variables support the water cycle, the sun, air currents and so on.

Stages involved in the water cycle

Stage 1: Evaporation and Transpiration

The energy of the sun heats the lakes, rivers, oceans, swamps and other bodies of water which subsequently raise the temperature of the water present in them. Therefore some water evaporates into the air as vapour. The rising streams of air carry the vapour up into the atmosphere. At the same time, plants and trees often lose water to the atmosphere in the form of vapour which rises in the sky.

Stage 2: Condensation

The colder weather makes them cool down as the vapours rise high and transform them back into liquid-condensation. Wind and air currents carry the moisture around, which contributes to cloud formation.

Stage 3: Precipitation

Wind motions cause particles to collide with the clouds. When they become water-laden, they form into clouds carrying rain and fall down onto the surface of the Earth through the process called precipitation. Depending on the weather conditions, this can happen in the form of rain, hail, snow or sleet.

Stage 4: Runoff and Infiltration

The precipitation runs down into seas, rivers and soil or is absorbed into the ground.


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