Stages of the water cycle - Info pack

The water cycle is an essential natural process consisting of three primary stages: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Evaporation occurs when the sun's heat warms bodies of water on Earth, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans, causing the water to transform into vapour. Plants also contribute through transpiration, where they release water vapour from their leaves. Following evaporation, the water vapour rises into the atmosphere, cools down, and reverts to liquid form, creating clouds in a process called condensation. When these clouds are moved by air currents and the water droplets within them grow too large to stay airborne, they fall to Earth in various forms—rain, snow, hail, or sleet—through precipitation.

Once the water reaches the Earth's surface, it is collected in different ways, marking the collection stage of the water cycle. Precipitation may directly enter rivers, lakes, or seas, or accumulate as snow, ice, or glaciers in colder climates. When temperatures rise, this ice melts, contributing to the water bodies. Some of the water, known as surface run-off, flows over the land and collects in larger bodies of water. Alternatively, it might seep into the soil and slowly percolate through the ground to rivers or the ocean. Water that lands on vegetation can be taken up by plant roots or return to the atmosphere through evaporation from leaves. This continuous cycle maintains Earth's water balance and is vital for supporting life on our planet.