The water cycle describes how water is circulated and recycled around the Earth. Water evaporates from surfaces, transpires from plants, and condenses in the atmosphere to form clouds. Precipitation occurs when clouds become too full, returning the water to Earth's surface where it collects in oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater or runs off into these water bodies to restart the cycle.

1. THE WATER CYCLE

2. ICE OR SNOW
RAIN
VAPOUR

5. EVAPORATION
The water changes into
vapour.

6. TRANSPIRATION
The passage of water through
a plant from the roots to the
atmosphere.

7. CONDENSATION
The water vapour in the air
gets cold and changes back
into liquid, forming clouds.

8. PRECIPITATION
Any form of water, such as
rain or snow, formed by
condensation of water vapour
in the atmosphere, that falls to
the earth's surface.

9. COLLECTION
When water falls back to earth as precipitation, it may fall
back in the oceans, lakes or rivers or it may end up on
land. When it ends up on land, it will either soak into the
earth and become part of the “ground water” that plants
and animals use to drink or it may run over the soil and
collect in the oceans, lakes or rivers where the water
cycle starts all over again.

10. THE WATER
CYCLE