The water cycle: From the ocean to the air
Overview of water moving through the hydrologic cycle, or water cycle: it evaporates from Earth's surface as water vapor, which condenses in the atmosphere, forming clouds and precipitation, which falls to the land and flows through lakes, rivers, and oceans, from which water evaporates as the cycle repeats.
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Transcript
NARRATOR: Earth's surface has been shaped by water for many millions of years. Almost three-quarters of the planet is covered by water. The rest is land. Wind constantly moves water around, driving a water cycle that permits life and alters landscapes all over the planet.
The cycle begins at sea. Heat from the sun evaporates water from the oceans. Water rises into the air as vapor and travels with the wind.
If the air begins to cool—such as when air warmed by the Earth's surface rises or when wind drives air up and over mountains—the air loses its ability to hold water. Clouds in the sky are volumes of air where the water has condensed and has become visible. Ultimately, the water condenses into water droplets or ice crystals that fall as rain or snow. When such clouds are near the ground, the water may condense as dew or frost instead.
Once on the land, the water can seep into the ground, collect into lakes and ponds, pile up as snow and ice, or run off into rivers that flow toward the ocean. Fresh water seeping into the ground nurtures plants. Lakes and rivers provide people and animals fresh water for drinking. As the water runs off along the surface, it may erode the land. Once back in the sea, the water can begin the cycle again.
Some water in the atmosphere does not come from the evaporation of the oceans. For example, where there's enough heat, some of the water on the land may also evaporate. Tropical rainforests operate this way, where the heat evaporates water from the soil and plants.
Sometimes the shape of the land won't allow water to run back to the sea, so water pools up as a landlocked lake. The lake, however, cannot release minerals dissolved in the water. Consequently, water may evaporate from the lake, but the minerals remain, and the lake becomes salty.
The cycle begins at sea. Heat from the sun evaporates water from the oceans. Water rises into the air as vapor and travels with the wind.
If the air begins to cool—such as when air warmed by the Earth's surface rises or when wind drives air up and over mountains—the air loses its ability to hold water. Clouds in the sky are volumes of air where the water has condensed and has become visible. Ultimately, the water condenses into water droplets or ice crystals that fall as rain or snow. When such clouds are near the ground, the water may condense as dew or frost instead.
Once on the land, the water can seep into the ground, collect into lakes and ponds, pile up as snow and ice, or run off into rivers that flow toward the ocean. Fresh water seeping into the ground nurtures plants. Lakes and rivers provide people and animals fresh water for drinking. As the water runs off along the surface, it may erode the land. Once back in the sea, the water can begin the cycle again.
Some water in the atmosphere does not come from the evaporation of the oceans. For example, where there's enough heat, some of the water on the land may also evaporate. Tropical rainforests operate this way, where the heat evaporates water from the soil and plants.
Sometimes the shape of the land won't allow water to run back to the sea, so water pools up as a landlocked lake. The lake, however, cannot release minerals dissolved in the water. Consequently, water may evaporate from the lake, but the minerals remain, and the lake becomes salty.