Hydrologic Cycle (Water Cycle)

transpiration

Evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant gives of purified water to be evaporated

infiltration (seepage)

Flow of water from the land surface into the subsurface; rain water soaks into the ground soil and can get into the groundwater

condensation

Gas to Liquid; gas gets colder and changes back to liquid , forming clouds

runoff

Part of the water cycle where an excess of water runs down and does not sink into the soil and eventually makes it to the rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Aquifer

Permeable earth materials that collect and store water.

contaminant

Something that causes impurity or pollutes

evaporation

The change of a liquid to a gas; the sun heats energy up and turns water into vapor(gas)

hydrologic cycle (water cycle)

The cycle through which water in the hydrosphere moves; includes such processes as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and surface and groundwater runoff and infiltration

infiltration

When water seeps or soaks through soil or sand (or any permeable material)

Freshwater storage (creek, river, lake)

freshwater existing on the Earth's surface, which includes streams, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and freshwater wetlands. The definition of freshwater is water containing less than 1,000 milligrams per liter of dissolved solids, most often salt.

Snow and Ice Storage

freshwater stored in frozen form, generally in glaciers, icecaps and fields, and snowfields. Water may be locked up in this state for a relatively long period of time.

Snowmelt

the movement of water as surface runoff from snow and ice to surface water. It is a major component of the global movement of water.

Water storage in atmosphere

water stored in the atmosphere as vapor, such as clouds and humidity. Only about 0.001 percent of the total Earth's water volume is stored in the atmosphere at any given time.

groundwater storage

..., water that fills the cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layers

Precipitation

Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface like hail, snow, sleet, rain;clouds get heavy and the air cannot hold it anymore