Hydrological Cycle Earth Systems

Evaporation: Phase change of water to water vapor.
Condensation: Phase change of water vapor into liquid water or the liquid phase.
Precipitation: All the forms in which water falls to the ground, including rain, snow, sleet and hail.

The hydrological cycleEarth's plumbing system is called the hydrological, or water, cycle. Water, water vapor, ice, and energy have flowed through this system for billions of years—we may be drinking the same water as the dinosaurs!

Three key actions drive the hydrological cycle: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Let's learn how they interact. Next

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