Water cycle

The continuous movement of water among the atmosphere, land, oceans, and living things through processes such as evaporation, precipitation, and runoff.

Evaporation: The change of a liquid into vapor at its surface. Solar heating transfers surface water, especially from oceans, into the atmosphere.
Hydrosphere: All water on, beneath, and above Earth’s surface. It is the broadest reservoir system participating in the water cycle.
Weather forecasting: The prediction of atmospheric conditions over a future period. Moisture transport and condensation help determine where and when precipitation falls.
Climate change: Long-term shifts in climate patterns, including changes driven by human greenhouse-gas emissions. Warming intensifies evaporation and changes precipitation patterns and snow storage.
Transpiration: The release of water vapor from plants, mainly through leaf pores. It returns water taken up by roots to the atmosphere.
Atmosphere: The layer of gases surrounding Earth. It stores water vapor and transports clouds between regions.
Watershed: An area of land that drains water to a shared outlet. Its boundaries organize runoff and groundwater flows for local water management.
Urbanization: The growth of cities and the conversion of land to urban uses. Impervious surfaces speed runoff and reduce infiltration into soil.
Atmospheric condensation: The conversion of water vapor into liquid droplets or ice in the atmosphere. Cooling vapor forms clouds from which precipitation can develop.
Ocean: The connected body of salt water covering most of Earth’s surface. It holds most of Earth’s water and supplies much of the evaporated moisture.

Linked from 31 pages