AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The water cycle shows the continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere. It is a complex system that includes many different processes. Liquid water evaporates into water vapor, condenses to form clouds, and precipitates back to earth in the form of rain and snow.

Detailed explanation-2: -Clouds are tiny droplets of liquid water or small ice crystals. Water at the surface of the ocean, rivers, and lakes can become water vapor and move into the atmosphere with a little added energy from the Sun through a process called evaporation.

Detailed explanation-3: -Energy from the sun causes water on the surface to evaporate into water vapor – a gas. This invisible vapor rises into the atmosphere, where the air is colder, and condenses into clouds. Air currents move these clouds all around the earth.

Detailed explanation-4: -Condensation in the air. Air contains water molecules. Clouds exist in the atmosphere because of rising air. As air rises and cools, the water in it can “condense out, ” forming clouds.

Detailed explanation-5: -Clouds form when the invisible water vapor in the air condenses into visible water droplets or ice crystals. For this to happen, the parcel of air must be saturated, i.e. unable to hold all the water it contains in vapor form, so it starts to condense into a liquid or solid form.