Water Cycle

Learn about evaporation, condensation, sublimation, precipitation, transpiration, runoff, infiltration, and collections!

Evaporation, the process by which an element or compound transitions into a gaseous state below the temperature at which it boils. To be more clear, the process by which liquid water enters the atmosphere as water vapor.

Condensation is when the water vapor starts to become liquid form by being in contact with other water vapors.

Sublimation is when a solid turns into a gas, passing the liquid stage. For example, dried ice, a solid, turns into a gas right away if you put it in water.

Precipitation is the falling products in the atmosphere like snow, hail, or rain. When the clouds from the condensation combine with too many other water vapors, it starts to come down, causing rain and etc.

Transpiration is the water vapor through plants. Since plants need water, the plants transfer the water through plant tissues and release the water vapor through their leaves.

A runoff is simply when the water “runs off” the Earth Surface. When you wash your car, the water running down the driveway and onto the street is a demonstration of a runoff.

Infiltration is when the precipitation or water soaks into soils and moves into rocks, cracks, and spaces in Earth. Most of earth’s precipitation will get soaked into soils and create underground water, which leads to collections.

Collections happen when precipitation or water collects into oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams. The water comes from the infiltration, where the water gets soaked into dirt and creates underground water.