How are the sun and ocean important to the water cycle?
The water cycle is powered by heat energy from the Sun. Approximately 70% of Earth’s surface is covered in ocean water. When water at the ocean’s surface is heated by the Sun it gains energy. With enough energy, the molecules of liquid water change into water vapor and move into the air.
What is the role of the sun and ocean in the weather climate and the water cycle?
The water cycle is important to weather and climate and, ultimately, to all life on Earth. This solar energy drives the cycle by evaporating water from the oceans, lakes, rivers, and even the soil. Other water moves from plants to the atmosphere through the process of transpiration.
What happens to water left in the sun?
When water at the ocean’s surface is heated by the Sun it gains energy. With enough energy, the molecules of liquid water change into water vapor and move into the air. This process is called evaporation. When evaporation happens only the water evaporates.
How does the sun provide energy for ocean currents?
The Sun’s Energy for Ocean Currents. So, as the warmer ocean waters begin to rise in a particular area, the cooler ocean waters from a different area will move in to replace the warmer ocean waters, and this creates our ocean currents. Because our oceans are so large, these currents can also go for very long distances.
How does the ocean play a role in the water cycle?
The oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface and contain about every one of the (97%) of its free water. Therefore, in this manner, it assumes a prevailing part in the worldwide water cycle. The air just holds a couple of centimeters of fluid water or 0.001% of the aggregate.
How is the water cycle related to solar energy?
Part A: Solar Energy and the Water Cycle. As liquid water evaporates or transpires, it forms water vapor and clouds, where water droplets eventually gain enough mass to fall back to Earth as precipitation. The precipitation then becomes run-off or ground water, and works its way — over various timescales — back into the surface reservoirs.
Why is the water cycle important to NOAA?
And that’s why understanding of the water cycle has become one of NOAA’s Grand Science Challenges. NOAA studies all aspects of the water cycle – ocean, weather, precipitation, climate, ecosystems – and our impacts on it.