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Water Cycle

The water cycle is the continuous movement of water between Earth’s surface and atmosphere through evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff.

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Student-friendly explanation

Solar heat evaporates water from oceans, lakes, and soil. Plants add water vapour by transpiration. Water vapour cools and condenses to form clouds. When droplets become heavy, precipitation occurs as rain, snow, or hail. Water then returns to rivers, groundwater, and oceans.

How to write this in exams

  1. 1

    Start with the exact idea

    The water cycle is the continuous movement of water between Earth’s surface and atmosphere through evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff.

  2. 2

    Then show how to use it

    Start with evaporation or transpiration, move to condensation and cloud formation, then precipitation, followed by runoff, infiltration, and collection.

  3. 3

    Add one concrete example

    After a hot day, water evaporates from a pond, forms clouds after cooling, and later returns as rainfall.

  4. 4

    Avoid this incomplete answer

    Water is used up after rainfall. This is wrong because water changes place and form but continues circulating through the cycle.

Definition

The water cycle is the continuous movement of water between Earth’s surface and atmosphere through evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff.

Example

After a hot day, water evaporates from a pond, forms clouds after cooling, and later returns as rainfall.

Rule to remember

Rule: solar energy drives evaporation, and cooling of water vapour causes condensation.

Memory hook

Heat lifts water; cooling makes clouds; gravity brings rain.

Examples and method

Worked example

In summer, more evaporation can occur from a lake. If the vapour cools high in the atmosphere, clouds form; later rain returns water to land and water bodies.

Method to apply

Start with evaporation or transpiration, move to condensation and cloud formation, then precipitation, followed by runoff, infiltration, and collection.

Diagram support

Draw water body, Sun, evaporation arrows, cloud condensation, rainfall, runoff to river, infiltration into ground, and transpiration from plants.

How CBSE asks it

Students may be asked to label a water cycle diagram or explain how rainwater eventually returns to oceans.

Avoid common mistakes

Common confusion

Students sometimes treat the water cycle as having a fixed starting point. It is a continuous cycle, so any stage can be used to begin an explanation.

Common wrong answer

Water is used up after rainfall. This is wrong because water changes place and form but continues circulating through the cycle.

Exam tip

Use arrows and sequence words: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff or infiltration, and collection.

Quick check

Why is the water cycle called a cycle?

It is called a cycle because water keeps moving between land, water bodies, living organisms, and the atmosphere, and the same water can return again through repeated processes.

Study the water cycle diagram carefully

Use the labelled diagram to keep water cycle clear in short answers and revision.

What this diagram makes clear

This diagram keeps the labels and direction of water cycle in the right order.

Where this helps in exams

Use this for labelled diagram work and short exam answers on water cycle.

Revision cue

Revise water cycle through the labels before writing the answer.

Answer writing and exam use

1-mark answer

The water cycle is the continuous movement of water between Earth’s surface and atmosphere through evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff.

2-mark answer

The water cycle is the continuous movement of water between Earth’s surface and atmosphere through evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff. Rule: solar energy drives evaporation, and cooling of water vapour causes condensation. After a hot day, water evaporates from a pond, forms clouds after cooling, and later returns as rainfall.

3-mark answer

Solar heat evaporates water from oceans, lakes, and soil. Plants add water vapour by transpiration. Water vapour cools and condenses to form clouds. When droplets become heavy, precipitation occurs as rain, snow, or hail. Water then returns to rivers, groundwater, and oceans. Rule: solar energy drives evaporation, and cooling of water vapour causes condensation. In summer, more evaporation can occur from a lake. If the vapour cools high in the atmosphere, clouds form; later rain returns water to land and water bodies. Students may be asked to label a water cycle diagram or explain how rainwater eventually returns to oceans. Water is used up after rainfall. This is wrong because water changes place and form but continues circulating through the cycle.
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