How does water move through the hydrologic cycle?

The hydrologic cycle is a continuous process powered by sunlight and gravity that circulates water between Earth's surface and the atmosphere.12

The cycle functions through several key processes:

• Evaporation: Driven by solar energy, water transitions from liquid to gaseous water vapour from oceans, land surfaces, and vegetation.13
• Condensation and Precipitation: As moist air rises and cools, water vapour condenses into droplets or ice crystals to form clouds. When these particles grow sufficiently large, they fall back to Earth as precipitation (rain, snow, or hail).14
• Runoff and Infiltration: Water that reaches the surface either flows as runoff into streams, rivers, and lakes, or infiltrates the soil to become groundwater.1
• Storage and Return: Groundwater moves slowly through aquifers under the pull of gravity, eventually emerging in springs or streams. Both surface water and groundwater ultimately return to the oceans, where the cycle begins again.1

This constant movement is essential for maintaining Earth's climate and distributing water across the planet.32