Water cycle

How does Water Cycle works?

The water cycle is not strictly a nutrient cycle, but it is essential to life. The major water pool is the oceans – contain 97% of water. The remainder is fresh water in solid, liquid or vapor form. About 75% of fresh water is ice. Less than 1% exists as liquid, fresh water – most of this is groundwater.

Water evaporates from the oceans – leaving behind the salt. Water also evaporates from land – soil and plants (evapotranspiration). This vapor falls as rain / snow onto land. Water on land passes through soil to the water table – the upper surface of water saturated soil (a.k.a. aquifer). Excess water drains to the ocean via rivers

This water cycle is also known as hydrologic cycle or H₂0 cycle.