A Review of the Driving Force Behind the Water Cycle
Uncover the fascinating journey of water and its vital role in sustaining life on Earth. Explore the stages of the water cycle, including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. Discover how the sun's energy and gravity drive this essential process. Protect yourself with comprehensive insurance coverage.
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Scott W. Johnson
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Scott W Johnson is an independent insurance agent in California. Principal Broker and founder of Marindependent Insurance Services, Scott brings over 25 years of experience to his clients. His Five President’s Council awards prove he uses all he learned at Avocet, Sprint Nextel, and Farmers Insurance to the benefit of his clients. Scott quickly grasped the unique insurance requirements of his...
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UPDATED: Nov 28, 2023
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UPDATED: Nov 28, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single insurance company.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
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Welcome to our comprehensive article, “A Review of the Driving Force Behind the Water Cycle.” In this informative piece, we delve into the fascinating world of the water cycle and its critical role in sustaining life on our planet. We explore key topics such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection, shedding light on the driving forces that propel this essential process.
As you embark on this insightful journey, don’t forget to prioritize protecting your valuable assets. Enter your zip code now to compare rates from the best insurance providers and ensure you have the coverage you need.
About the Water Cycle
A majority of the water on earth is in our oceans, but water can also be the snow on the top of a mountain range or the ice caps in the middle of Antarctica. Water can take many different forms, including liquid, gas, and solid; and it moves in an endless cycle through lakes, rivers, oceans, atmosphere and land.
This is what we have come to know as the water cycle. The water cycle has five different stages including evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, and collection. Let’s take a look at each stage so you can get a better understanding of just how hard the earth works for you.
Resources:
- Climate Reality Project: A thirst for power: The water-energy nexus
- Classroom of the Future: The water cycle
- USGS: Water cycle
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Evaporation
Evaporation is the very first stage of the water cycle. This is where it all begins. Evaporation takes place when the sun warms the water in streams, ponds, or lakes enough to turn it into a vapor we call steam. This vapor then enters into the air and is no longer visible.
If you have ever spilled a small amount of water on your kitchen table and you go back a few hours later, you can no longer see where the water was. It’s like it was never there in the first place. This is an easier way to explain evaporation. The water is no longer visible because it, of course, evaporated.
It is important to keep in mind that some liquids evaporate more quickly than others, but there are factors that contribute to just how quickly a liquid will evaporate. If the air is already saturated with many different substances, it will cause the evaporation process to be slower. When there is high humidity, there is no room for a liquid to evaporate. Air pressure and temperature will also contribute to the speed of evaporation.
Resources:
- University Corporation of Atmospheric Research: The water cycle: Evaporation
- Washington University: Evaporation
- NOAA: Water cycle
Transpiration
Transpiration is what happens when leaves sweat or lose water. Transpiration allows evaporation to take a turn in recovering water vapors into the air. You cannot go outside and see this process take place, however, rest assured that the water being lost from a leaf is re-entering the air. The leaf actually transpires more water than it weighs. In fact, an oak tree can transpire 40,000 gallons of water in one year!
Resources:
- National Geographic: Water cycle
- WWF: The water cycle
- Foundation for Water and Energy Conservation: The water cycle
Condensation
If you have ever taken a cold glass of water outside on a hot summer day, you have surely noticed the liquid beading on the outside of the glass. Most people say their glass is sweating, but this is actually condensation taking place right before your eyes.
Condensation occurs when water vapor in the air gets cold and changes into liquid again. Condensation is the opposite of evaporation and is vital to the formation of clouds, since clouds form when water vapors condense around particles. Fog is another example. It is like small clouds that have formed close to the ground. As clouds in the sky get bigger, they will fill with water, and soon after, precipitation will take place.
Resources:
- North Carolina Climate Office: Water cycle
- The Water Project: Condensation experiment: A cloud in a bottle
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Precipitation
Precipitation is easy to understand because it is something that we can see. Rain, snow, sleet, and hail are all different forms of precipitation and they occur when the clouds that formed during condensation have become so full that they can no longer contain the water. The water falls back to Earth and recharges it once again so that the water cycle can continue. If it did not, the planet we know would be nothing more than desert.
Resources:
- Windows to the Universe: Rain
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: Precipitation and evaporation
Sublimation
Sublimation takes place when ice or snow turns into vapor without melting into water first. In some climates, this is how a mass of snow will disappear. Sublimation takes place more frequently when there is low relative humidity or dry winds. It is also more common at high altitudes where there is less air pressure. Strong sunlight is needed for sublimation to occur.
Resources:
- John Hopkins University: Hydrologic cycle
- University of Arizona: Water in the atmosphere
Collection
Collection takes place when the water falls back to the earth and collects in the seas, rivers or lakes. The water literally collects on the Earth, waiting to be reabsorbed. If it is not absorbed into these sources, it may be used to water plants or simply pool as groundwater until it finally makes its way back to a bigger water source, starting the water process all over again.
Resources:
- NASA: Water cycle
- Drip Tap: What is the water cycle?
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Lesson Plans for Teachers
Would you like to teach your students or children more about the water cycle and what keeps it moving and producing clean water for us? Look into the following lesson plans and resources:
Resources:
- Utah State University: Water cycle lesson plans
- CPALMS: Water cycle
- Carleton: Hydrologic cycle
Additional Resources
Are you still looking for more information? To learn more about the water cycle and how it works you can watch Science 360’s video on the topic, Sustainability: The water cycle. The USDA also has an informative article on How forests affect our drinking water.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water cycle?
The water cycle is the continuous process by which water evaporates from the surface of the Earth, forms clouds, and returns to the Earth as precipitation.
What are the driving forces behind the water cycle?
The driving forces behind the water cycle are the sun’s energy and the Earth’s gravity. The sun’s energy heats the Earth’s surface and causes water to evaporate into the atmosphere, where it forms clouds. Gravity then pulls the water droplets in the clouds back to the Earth’s surface as precipitation, which can take the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
How does the water cycle affect the environment?
The water cycle plays a critical role in the environment by providing the necessary water for plants and animals to survive. It also helps regulate the Earth’s temperature and weather patterns. However, disruptions to the water cycle can cause devastating floods, droughts, and other natural disasters.
How does the water cycle impact human society?
The water cycle is essential for human society, as it provides the necessary water for agriculture, industry, and domestic use. However, disruptions to the water cycle can lead to water shortages, which can have significant economic and social consequences.
What are some human activities that can impact the water cycle?
Human activities that can impact the water cycle include deforestation, urbanization, and pollution. Deforestation can reduce the amount of water that is absorbed into the soil, leading to increased runoff and erosion. Urbanization can increase the amount of impervious surfaces, such as concrete and asphalt, which can lead to increased runoff and decreased infiltration. Pollution can contaminate water sources and disrupt the natural water cycle processes.
How can we help protect the water cycle?
We can help protect the water cycle by conserving water, reducing pollution, and promoting sustainable land use practices. Examples include using water-efficient appliances and fixtures, properly disposing of hazardous waste, and planting trees to reduce runoff and erosion. Additionally, supporting policies and regulations that protect water
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Scott W. Johnson
Licensed Insurance Agent
Scott W Johnson is an independent insurance agent in California. Principal Broker and founder of Marindependent Insurance Services, Scott brings over 25 years of experience to his clients. His Five President’s Council awards prove he uses all he learned at Avocet, Sprint Nextel, and Farmers Insurance to the benefit of his clients. Scott quickly grasped the unique insurance requirements of his...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.