The water cycleBy: Ignacio Fuentes de la Fuente

What is the water cycle?The water cycle is the group of processes that

allow water to travel between the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface in a cyclical movement.

What is the water cycle?Water moves from one reservoir to another by

the phisycal processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff and subsurface flow. In doing so, water goes through all its different states.

What is the water cycle?The energy sources that act as an engine of this

cycle are the Sun and the force of gravity.

-The Sun allows water to change state by heating it. This way, water in oceans, seas and continental surface evaporates.

What is the water cycle?The energy sources that act as an engine of this

cycle are the Sun and the force of gravity.

-The force of gravity causes precipitation, wich returns evaporated water to the Earth’s surface. It’s also responsible of the movement of water.

ProcessThe Sun heats the Earth’s surface and evaporates

ocean, sea and continental water. Plants also release water vapour in their transpiration process.

Evaporated water cools and condeses forming clouds.Water from clouds precipitates as rain, hail or snow.Water from melting snow joins rivers and the rest of

continental waterSurface water form surface runoffs that move

towards the sea

Consequences of the water cycle

Life as we know it would be impossible without the water cycle. Thanks to it, all the layers of the Earth interact: the atmosphere, the geosphere, the biosphere and the hydrosphere.

The water cycle and the atmosphere

Water is found in the atmosphere as water vapour. Although it’s in a gaseous state, it has the same properties, so the temperature remains more constant. Precipitation also depends on the quantity of water vapour found.

The water cycle and the geosphere

Water changes the continental crust by partipipating in the shaping of relief and modifying landscapes. This occurs in different ways.

The water cycle and the biosphere

Water is essential for living things. The balance that water mantains in ecosystems can be altered by humans. It’s not an unlimited resource, soy we should use it responsibly.