Step 1 evaporation would change the drop of water to water vapor, a gas, which would rise into the atmosphere. 2. step 2 as more water vapor condenses into liquid, the drop of water will eventually drop to earth's surface as precipitation. 3. step 3 the drop of water falls to the ground as rain and is absorbed as groundwater. 4. step 4 the atmosphere is cooler, so the drop of water would change from a gas back to a liquid through condensation. 5. step 5 the groundwater flows into a river which empties back into the ocean.