The Hydrologic Cycle

The hydrologic cycle is a conceptual model that describes the storage and movement of
water between the biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, and the hydrosphere.
Water on this planet can be stored in any one of the following reservoirs:
atmosphere, oceans, lakes, rivers, soils, glaciers, snowfields, and groundwater.

Water moves from one reservoir to another by way of processes like evaporation,
condensation, precipitation, deposition, runoff, infiltration, sublimation,
transpiration, melting, and groundwater flow. The oceans supply most of the
evaporated water found in the atmosphere. Of this evaporated water, only 91% of it is
returned to the ocean basins by way of precipitation. The remaining 9% is transported to
areas over landmasses where climatological factors induce the formation of precipitation.
The resulting imbalance between rates of evaporation and precipitation over land and
ocean is corrected by runoff and groundwater flow to the oceans.

The planetary water supply is dominated by the oceans (see Table 8b-1). Approximately
97% of all the water on the Earth is in the oceans. The other 3% is held as freshwater in
glaciers and icecaps, groundwater, lakes, soil, the atmosphere, and within life.

Process of water cycle

Evaporation
Evaporation can be defined as the process by which liquid water is converted into
a gaseous state. Evaporation can only occur when water is available. It also
requires that the humidity of the atmosphere be less than the evaporating surface
(at 100% relative humidity there is no more evaporation). The evaporation
process requires large amounts of energy. For example, the evaporation of one
gram of water at a temperature of 100° Celsius requires 540 calories of heat
energy (600 calories at 0° Celsius).
Condensation
The change in state of matter from vapor to liquid that occurs with cooling.
Usually used in meteorology when discussing the formation of liquid water from
vapor. This process releases latent heat energy to the environment.
Precipitation
(1) Is any aqueous deposit, in liquid or solid form, that develops in a saturated
atmosphere (relative humidity equals 100%) and falls to the ground generally
from clouds. Most clouds, however, do not produce precipitation. In many clouds,
water droplets and ice crystals are too small to overcome natural updrafts found
in the atmosphere. As a result, the tiny water droplets and ice crystals remain
suspended in the atmosphere as clouds.
(2) The state of being precipitated from a solution.

Deposition
(1) The change in state of matter from gas to solid that occurs with cooling.
Usually used in meteorology when discussing the formation of ice from water
vapor. This process releases latent heat energy to the environment.
(2) Laying down of sediment transported by wind, water, or ice.
Runoff
The topographic flow of water from precipitation to stream channels located at
lower elevations. Occurs when the infiltration capacity of an area's soil has been
exceeded. It also refers to the water leaving an area of drainage. Also called
overland flow.
Infiltration
The absorption and downward movement of water into the soil layer.
Sublimation
Process where ice changes into water vapor without first becoming liquid. This
process requires approximately 680 calories of heat energy for each gram of
water converted.
Transpiration
Transpiration is the process of water loss from plants through stomata. Stomata
are small openings found on the underside of leaves that are connected to vascular
plant tissues. Some dry environment plants do have the ability to open and close
their stomata. Transpiration is a passive process largely controlled by the
humidity of the atmospheric and the moisture content of the soil. Of the transpired
water passing through a plant only 1% is used in the growth process.
Transpiration also transports nutrients from the soil into the roots and carries
them to the various cells of the plant.
Melting
The physical process of a solid becoming a liquid. For water, this process requires
approximately 80 calories of heat energy for each gram converted.
Groundwater Flow
Underground topographic flow of groundwater because of gravity.