What comes before precipitation in the water cycle?
Precipitation is any type of water that forms in the Earth’s atmosphere and then drops onto the surface of the Earth. Water vapor, droplets of water suspended in the air, builds up in the Earth’s atmosphere before precipitating.
What are the main steps of the water cycle starting with precipitation?
THE WATER CYCLE: A GUIDE FOR STUDENTS
- Step 1: Evaporation. The water cycle begins with evaporation.
- Step 2: Condensation. As water vaporizes into water vapor, it rises up in the atmosphere.
- Step 3: Sublimation.
- Step 4: Precipitation.
- Step 5: Transpiration.
- Step 6: Runoff.
- Step 7: Infiltration.
What two processes are required in the water cycle before it can rain?
The water cycle consists of three major processes: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Evaporation is the process of a liquid’s surface changing to a gas. In the water cycle, liquid water (in the ocean, lakes, or rivers) evaporates and becomes water vapor.
How is precipitation a part of the water cycle?
Precipitation describes any liquid or solid water that falls to Earth as a result of those two processes. It includes rain, hail, snow, sleet and a bunch more. Precipitation is one of many ways that water is cycled from the atmosphere to the Earth or Ocean.
Which is the last step in the water cycle?
The last of the major parts in the water cycle steps is precipitation. Everyone knows about this one. It’s rain! However, precipitation technically is not a process at all. It is the result of evaporation and condensation. Precipitation describes any liquid or solid water that falls to Earth as a result of those two processes.
How does the water cycle work on Earth?
When the clouds become extremely heavy with water droplets, the water falls back to earth through precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, hail, etc). The process continues in a cyclical manner. Learn more about Earth’s water cycle on the Precipitation Education website.
Why do clouds have to be there for precipitation to occur?
Clouds are required for precipitation because the raindrops are the drops of the clouds that have condensed enough water to begin falling. The cloud particles do not have enough mass to fall, but as condensation continues to add water to those particles, gravity eventually pulls them towards the Earth as precipitation.