1.5.1 Hydrological Cycle

Hydrology

Hydrology is the science which deals with the occurrence, distribution and movement of water on the earth, including that in the atmosphere and below surface of earth. Except for deep ground water, the total water supply of earth is in constant circulation from earth to atmosphere, and back to earth. The earth’s water circulatory system is known as hydrologic cycle.

Hydrological Cycle

Sun's energy in the form of light, and heat causes water to EVAPORATE from oceans, rivers, lakes and even puddles. “Evaporate" means it turns the water from a liquid to a gas, or "vapor." Another form of evaporation that contributes to the water cycle is TRANSPIRATION. Here, water given off through the pores of plants and animals joins the atmosphere as a vapor. Check, for instance, your own breath on a cold day. What you are seeing is water vapor being given off by your body.

Warm air currents rising from the earth's surface lift this water vapor up into the atmosphere.

When the air currents reach the cooler layers of the atmosphere, the water vapor condenses around and clings on to fine particles in the air. This step is called CONDENSATION. When enough vapors attach itself to tiny pieces of dust, pollen or pollutants, it forms a cloud. Clouds do not last forever. Old clouds constantly re-evaporate and new ones form, creating ever-changing patterns in the sky.

As the air gets more and more moist, the droplets that form the clouds grow larger and larger. Eventually they will get so big that the swirling atmospheric winds can no longer hold them up. The droplets then fall from the sky as PRECIPITATION. Precipitation can be in the form of rain, snow, sleet or hail depending on other atmospheric conditions such as temperature.

Once the precipitation reaches the ground, several things can happen to it. First, it might be re-evaporated. For instance, we've all seen the mist rising off hot roads after a summer shower. If it isn't re-evaporated, much of the water will become RUN -OFF that goes into streams and rivers as it flows back to the ocean.

Some of the precipitation will be absorbed into the ground. This is called INFILTRATION. Once in the ground, the water can join the earth's GROUND WATER supply. This is one of the world's largest storehouses of water. The water could also be absorbed from the ground by the roots of plants.

With transpiration and evaporation, the cycle begins again: EVAPORATION, CONDENSATION, PRECIPITATION, RUN-OFF, INFILTRATION, and EVATRANSPIRATION. Each time a molecule of water goes through the cycle it is cleaned, or purified, so it can be used by plants and animals again tomorrow, next year, and hopefully forever.