Hydrologic Cycle

Objective: To examine the concept of the hydrologic cycle and how the various components are related.

The hydrologic cycle refers to the continual cycling of water that has gone on for millions of years. Water evaporates from the land and ocean, the water vapor rises, it condenses into clouds and they later release rain. The rain hits the ground and part runs off, part infiltrates into the ground, and part evaporates back up into the sky. The plants and vegetation take water from the soil and release it into the air through transpiration. Other parts of the ground water enters streams and flows onto the surface in springs. The surface water that runs off in streams, towards the ocean, will eventually evaporate and continue the cycle.

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