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water cycle

/ˈwɔtər ˈsɑɪkəl/
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Other forms: water cycles

The way water moves from bodies of water, like the oceans, to the atmosphere and back to the earth again is known as the water cycle.

The total volume of Earth's water remains pretty constant, but it's also constantly moving and changing forms as it circulates between the land, bodies of water, and the atmosphere. This water cycle includes the processes of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, as well as runoff, collection, freezing, and melting. For example, glacial ice — water in solid form — might melt into the ocean, and then evaporate and condense into clouds, from which rain or snow precipitates, returning the water to the ground. Such processes are constantly happening, cycling Earth's water.

Definitions of water cycle
  1. noun
    a continuous process of evaporation of Earth’s water, condensation into clouds, and precipitation as rain or snow
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