WATER CYCLE Meaning and
Definition
-
The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, is the continuous movement and transformation of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface. It describes the journey that water takes through the various forms it can exist in – solid, liquid, and gas – as it circulates between the atmosphere, land, and oceans.
The water cycle begins with the process of evaporation, where heat from the sun causes water to convert from a liquid state into water vapor, or gas, rising into the atmosphere. Condensation occurs when the water vapor cools and transforms back into liquid droplets, forming clouds. These clouds then undergo the process of precipitation, where the water droplets join together and fall to the Earth's surface as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
After precipitation, the water cycle continues through surface runoff, where water flows over the land, eventually reaching rivers, lakes, and oceans. Some of it infiltrates into the ground and becomes groundwater, stored in aquifers. Plants and trees absorb water through their roots and release it back into the atmosphere through a process called transpiration.
The water cycle is a fundamental and essential natural process, replenishing the Earth's water supply and maintaining the balance of water availability. It plays a crucial role in regulating the Earth's temperature and climate patterns. The water cycle's continuous movement of water is crucial for sustaining life on Earth, as it supports ecosystems, provides drinking water, and fuels several essential processes such as photosynthesis and nutrient transport.
Common Misspellings for WATER CYCLE
- qater cycle
- aater cycle
- sater cycle
- eater cycle
- 3ater cycle
- 2ater cycle
- wzter cycle
- wster cycle
- wwter cycle
- wqter cycle
- warer cycle
- wafer cycle
- wager cycle
- wayer cycle
- wa6er cycle
- wa5er cycle
- watwr cycle
- watsr cycle
- watdr cycle
- watrr cycle
Etymology of WATER CYCLE
The word "water" is derived from the Old English word "wæter", which can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "watar". This word, in turn, stems from the Proto-Indo-European root "*wodr/wodor", meaning water.
The word "cycle" has its origins in the Latin word "cyclus", borrowed from the Greek word "kyklos", both meaning "circle" or "cycle". It ultimately comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*kwel-", meaning "to turn", which also gives rise to words like "wheel" and "cyclone".
Therefore, the term "water cycle" combines the Old English term for water with the Latin and Greek-derived term for cycle, resulting in the concept of the continuous movement and transformation of water on Earth.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
