9781422272510

THE WATER CYCLE

Also known as the hydrologic cycle or hydrological cycle , the water cycle describes the ways that water continuously moves between Earth and its atmosphere. The cycle consists of three parts: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Evaporation is the process of warm water rising into the atmosphere from the earth. Condensation occurs as water enters the atmosphere, cools, and turns into rain or snow. Precipitation is the water that falls back onto the earth’s surface as rain, sleet, or snow, where the entire cycle will begin again. The water you use today is the same water from when the earth formed. Only a tiny bit has escaped into space, so perhaps a Tyrannosaurus rex drank the same water you are drinking!

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The New Weather: Climate and Weather