water cycle.PNG

# Water Cycle Focus areas: Education Topics: water, education The water cycle is often taught as a simple circular cycle of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Although this can be a useful model, the reality is much more complicated. The paths and influences of water through Earth's...

# Water Cycle Focus areas: Education Topics: water, education The water cycle is often taught as a simple circular cycle of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Although this can be a useful model, the reality is much more complicated. The paths and influences of water through Earth's ecosystems are extremely complex and not completely understood. NOAA is striving to expand understanding of the water cycle at global to local scales to improve our ability to forecast weather, climate, water resources, and ecosystem health.  **The water cycle on Earth** Water is essential to life on Earth. In its three phases (solid, liquid, and gas), water ties together the major parts of the Earth's climate system — air, clouds, the ocean, lakes, vegetation, snowpack, and glaciers. **Diagram Description** The diagram shows the water cycle on Earth. It depicts the various processes involved in the movement of water from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface and back again. The diagram uses arrows to show the direction of water movement and labels to indicate the different stages of the cycle, such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, transpiration, runoff, infiltration, and percolation. The diagram also includes components like clouds, mountains, plants, groundwater, and oceans. **Processes shown in the diagram:** * Evaporation * Condensation * Precipitation * Transportation * Sublimation * Transpiration * Deposition * Runoff * Infiltration * Percolation * Plant uptake * Groundwater