A water cycle is the process where water moves between the earth's surface and the atmosphere and vice versa.
There are four stages of water cycle and these are evaporation, condensation, sublimation, precipitation, transpiration, runoff and infiltration.
STAGE 1: EVAPORATION- This is when the warmth from the sun causes waters from different bodies of water like the oceans, lakes, rivers, streams and ice to rise into the air and transforms into gases or water vapor.
STAGE 2: CONDENSATION- The vaporized water would then rise up in the atmosphere. In areas of high altitude, the water vapor changes into very tiny particles of ice/water droplets. This is because the temperature is low in high altitudes. This is also when the particles come together and form into clouds and fogs in the sky.
STAGE 3: SUBLIMATION- This is the counterpart of evaporation. This is the process where ice is being converted directly into water vapor. This happens when the temperature is low or pressure is high.
STAGE 4: PRECIPITATION- The clouds (condensed water vapor) pours down as the precipitation, which is affected by the wind or temperature, changes. This occurs because the water droplets combine with one another to form bigger droplets.
STAGE 5: TRANSPIRATION- This process is similar to evaporation but it happens in plants. The roots of the plants absorb the water and push it towards the leaves where it is used in photosynthesis. The excess water is then being extracted out of the leaves through the pores of the leaves or the stomata.
STAGE 6: RUNOFF- This is the process where water literally runs or flows in the earth's surface. When snow melts into water it has the tendency to runoff.
STEP 7: INFILTRATION- This is when some of the water precipitates does not runoff into the rivers. Instead, they are absorbed by the plants or got evaporated and moves deep down into the soil.
