User:Cheddar832

Ever wondered how the water we drink comes back around for another purpose? Well, the water cycle is you answer! The water cycle is a process that transports water all throughout our Earth from the ground to the sky and back again. Without the water cycle, we would have to transfer water to places all around the world. This process does a substancial job for us. The water cycle includes three main steps: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. However, it also contains three additional steps that go with our main ones: cloudformation, infiltration, and run-off. These steps all repeat throughout the cycle.

First of all, evaporation is the first step of the water cycle. Without the Sun, this step wouldn't occur. As the Sun provides light and heat on the water that resides on impermeable surfaces, it turns the water into a gas called water vapor. This gas rises up in the air and turns back to water to prepare for the next step of the cycle.

After evaporation, a process called condensation occurs. This is when water vapor that has evaporated into the air collects dust, pollution, dander, and other particles in the air. After the water collects particles, cloudformation happens. The condensed water droplets combine with millions of others. This forms a cloud.

Next, precipitation takes place. Once a cloud becomes too heavy (full of too many condensed water droplets), it needs to shed some of its weight. It does this by releasing moisture from itself in the form of rain, hail, sleet, or snow. All are considered precipitation.

Then, the step called infiltration occurs. This is when rain or melted hail, sleet, or snow lands on what's called a permeable surface. Permeable surfaces are areas on the ground that allow water to soak into it. A permeable surface can be something from a dirt patch to a diamond field. When water gets absorbed (infiltrated) by permeable surfaces, infiltration takes place. However, when rain or melted hail, sleet, or snow lands on an impermeable surface, a different process called run-off happens. Impermeable means a surface of the ground that does not allow water to soak into it. An example of an impermeable surface could be a sidewalk or a street. When water doesn't infiltrate into the ground, it has to go somewhere, so run-off takes place. Run-off is the flow of water into storm drains, creeks, rivers etc. If the water has landed on an impermeable surface, it will flow elsewhere into a drain or body of water.

The water cycle is essential to our life style all around the world. It is crucial to proper cleansing, hydration, and washing other items besides our self. Without this miracle cycle, rivers, lakes, streams etc. would have to be our main water sources from which we would drink and in which would bathe. That is not safe because the water may be salt or brackish or it might be contaminated with bacteria or parasites. Salt or brackish water is not drinkable because it contains salt, and if it is consumed, it will dehydrate and cause health issues. Bacteria and parasites can simply get you sick, whether it is severe or mild.