Describe the water cycle and its different stages.

Here is a description of the water cycle and its different stages: The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, is the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface. It's a closed system, meaning the total amount of water on Earth remains relatively constant, but it changes form and location as it cycles through various stages. The main stages of the water cycle are: * Evaporation: This is the process where liquid water changes into water vapor and rises into the atmosphere. Evaporation primarily occurs from bodies of water like oceans, lakes, and rivers, but also from soil and vegetation. * Transpiration: This is the process where plants release water vapor into the atmosphere through their leaves. It's essentially the evaporation of water from plant leaves. * Condensation: As water vapor rises and cools in the atmosphere, it condenses into tiny water droplets or ice crystals, forming clouds. * Precipitation: When the water droplets or ice crystals in clouds become too heavy, they fall back to Earth as precipitation in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. * Infiltration: This is the process where water soaks into the ground and becomes groundwater. The amount of infiltration depends on factors like soil type, vegetation cover, and the slope of the land. * Runoff: This is the water that flows over the Earth's surface, such as in streams, rivers, and lakes. Runoff can carry pollutants and sediment into bodies of water. * Storage: Water is stored in various locations throughout the water cycle, including oceans, lakes, rivers, groundwater aquifers, glaciers, and ice caps. Simplified explanation for a student: Imagine the water cycle as a big, never-ending journey for water. It starts when the sun heats up water in oceans, lakes, and rivers, and turns it into a gas called water vapor, which floats up into the air. Plants also release water into the air. As the water vapor goes higher, it gets colder and turns back into tiny water droplets or ice crystals, forming clouds. When the clouds get too full, the water falls back down to Earth as rain, snow, or hail. Some of the water soaks into the ground, becoming groundwater, which we can use for drinking or watering plants. The rest of the water flows over the land into rivers and lakes, and eventually back to the ocean, where the cycle starts all over again!