How do the states of matter relate to the water cycle?

Question

Henry Antrim · Accepted Answer

Well, what happens to a bowl of water, when you leave it outside on a summer's day?

When something evaporates, it goes through a phase transition. #H_2O(l) rarr H_2O(g)# Additionally, it unites with atmospheric moisture to form clouds and humidity. And in certain situations, the water returns to the surface as rain, ruining your afternoon as it gathers in rivers and creeks before draining into the ocean. #H_2O(g) rarr H_2O(l)# Furthermore, in the arctic, liquid water fuses to form ice. This peculiar and distinctive feature of water is that ice, or solid water, is less than liquid water and so floats on liquid water.

Peyton Adams · Answer

undefined The states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas—play crucial roles in the water cycle. During evaporation, liquid water changes into water vapor (a gas). Condensation occurs when water vapor cools and changes back into liquid water. Precipitation, such as rain or snow, is when water falls from the atmosphere in its liquid or solid state. These processes illustrate the transitions between the different states of matter within the water cycle.