There are four steps in the water cycle. In the first step the sun heats the water. The water turns into water vapor that is invisible. The water vapor rises into the sky. This is called evaporation.

In step two the water vapor cools as it rises. The vapor changes in to tiny droplets of water. The tiny droplets form into a cloud. The cloud grows bigger. The clouds blow over the land.

In step three the water droplets grow bigger and bigger in the cloud. When the droplets get heavy enough they fall from the clouds. Usually rain falls from the clouds. If it is cold enough it will fall as sleet or snow. Rain and snow are forms of precipitation.

In step four the rain or melted snow flows into rivers, lakes and streams. The rivers take the water to the ocean. For example our rainwater goes to the Hudson River and then to the Atlantic Ocean. It takes about 9 days to complete the water cycle. The water cycle repeats itself over and over.

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Water Cycle