A large rain storm hits your town and it rains all day. How does this event relate to the water cycle, and what happens to the water after the rain storm? First, state which stage of the water cycle is demonstrated by the storm. Next, use the remaining stages of the water cycle to explain what happens to the water as the water cycle is completed. Remember that the stages of the water cycle include evaporation, precipitation, condensation, and runoff. (2 points)

Answer 1

The large rainstorm demonstrates the stage of precipitation in the water cycle. During this stage, water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water droplets, which eventually fall to the ground as rain.

After the rainstorm, the water undergoes several processes as the water cycle continues:

1. Runoff: Following the precipitation, some of the rainwater flows over the surface of the ground as runoff. This can lead to rivers and streams, eventually directing the water back to lakes or oceans.

2. Infiltration and percolation: Some of the rainwater seeps into the ground, where it infiltrates the soil and replenishes groundwater supplies through percolation. This groundwater can be stored for future use or can eventually emerge again through springs.

3. Evaporation: As the sun shines after the storm, some of the ponded or surface water will begin to evaporate back into the atmosphere, changing back from a liquid to water vapor.

4. Condensation: Eventually, the evaporated water vapor can cool and condense again into clouds, leading to the possibility of future precipitation.

Through this continuous movement between these stages, the water cycle effectively redistributes water across the environment, maintaining balance in ecosystems and the atmosphere.