The Water Cycle

  • Released Friday, October 9, 2009

This animation shows one molecule of water completing the hydrologic cycle. Heat from the sun causes the molecule to evaporate from the ocean's surface. Once it evaporates, it is transported high in the atmosphere and condenses to form clouds. Clouds can move great distances and eventually the water molecule will fall as rain or snow. Ultimately, the water molecule arrives back where it started...at the ocean.



Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Release date

This page was originally published on Friday, October 9, 2009.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:54 PM EDT.


Series

This page can be found in the following series: