in 3 to 5 sentences describe the water cycle and explain how it obeys the law of conservation of matter.

1 answer

The water cycle is a continuous process that involves the movement of water through various states—evaporation from oceans, lakes, and rivers, condensation into clouds, precipitation as rain or snow, and infiltration into groundwater or surface runoff. Throughout this cycle, water molecules are constantly changing their form and location, but the total amount of water on Earth remains constant. This adherence to the law of conservation of matter means that matter, including water, cannot be created or destroyed; it only changes form or location within the environment. Thus, while water undergoes various transformations, the overall quantity of water circling through the cycle remains unchanged.