Water cycle is a very simple process and is also called the ‘Hydrologic cycle’. Water cycle provides us with freshwater continuously. The cycle keeps repeating itself. The water cycle is made up of the following processes: 1. Evaporation 2. Condensation 3. Precipitation 4. Collection

Evaporation The sun heats up water in rivers, lakes and oceans. The water turns into water vapour. The water vapour leaves the rivers, lakes or oceans and rises into the sky. This water vapour collects in the sky in the form of clouds. This is known as evaporation.

Condensation Water vapour in the clouds cools down and becomes water again. This is called condensation.

Precipitation Precipitation occurs when water in the air changes from water vapour to the liquid form (water) The air cannot hold it anymore and the clouds get heavy. Water falls back to the Earth in the form of rain or snow. This is called precipitation.

Collection Water falls back to Earth in the form of rain or snow. If it falls on the land, the water will soak into the Earth and becomes a part of the ‘ground water’. The rain or snow may also fall back in the oceans, lakes or rivers. From the oceans or lakes, water evaporates into the sky again and the cycle continues.

When evaporation, condensation, precipitation and collection happens together, it is known as the WATER CYCLE. This cycle goes on and on and on…