Earth’s water is always moving in a process called the water cycle. This process transfers water from Earth’s surface into the atmosphere and back again. First, the sun's energy makes water from oceans, lakes, and rivers , or change from a liquid to a gas called , which rises into the atmosphere and cools.

As it cools, the gas begins to , or change back into a liquid, and millions of tiny drops of water form into clouds. Then the larger droplets of water fall to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, or hail, which are all forms of .

Finally, this water can seep into the ground or fall into a larger body of water. Eventually, the water evaporates again, and the cycle repeats itself.

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The water cycle is a continuous process that involves the movement of water between the Earth's surface and the atmosphere. It begins with the sun's energy heating up water bodies such as oceans, lakes, and rivers, causing them to evaporate and turn into water vapor, which is a gaseous form of water.

As the water vapor rises into the atmosphere, it cools down and condenses into tiny water droplets, forming clouds. These clouds eventually become heavy with water droplets and precipitation occurs in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

The precipitation either replenishes the water bodies on the Earth's surface or infiltrates into the ground, becoming groundwater. The groundwater may eventually flow back into rivers, lakes, or oceans, or be absorbed by plants.

The cycle repeats itself as the water evaporates again from the Earth's surface, rises into the atmosphere, condenses, and precipitates back to the ground. This continuous movement of water is essential for sustaining life on Earth and maintaining balanced ecosystems.