The water cycle describes how water moves through Earth's systems.
Water evaporates from oceans, lakes, and rivers.
It rises into the atmosphere and cools to form clouds.
This process is called condensation.
Eventually, the water falls back to Earth as precipitation, such as rain or snow.
Some of this water runs off into bodies of water, and some soaks into the ground.
This groundwater may be taken up by plants or may eventually return to lakes and oceans.
The cycle then repeats.