The water cycle shows how water moves around the Earth in a continuous process. It starts with evaporation, where the sun heats water in oceans, lakes, and rivers, turning it into water vapor. This vapor rises into the air and cools down, forming clouds through a process called condensation.
When clouds become heavy with water, they release it as precipitation, such as rain, snow, or hail. This water then flows over the land as surface runoff, moving into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Some of the water seeps into the ground, becoming groundwater.
Groundwater moves through the soil until it reaches a layer it cannot pass through, known as an impervious layer. Some of this groundwater flows back into rivers, lakes, or oceans, completing part of the water cycle.
Sometimes, ocean water can seep into the land, a process called saltwater intrusion. The water cycle is essential for recycling and distributing water across the Earth, making it vital for all living things.