Lake Ice and 
Snow Science 
| WHY STUDY LAKE ICE AND SNOW? | BASIC CONCEPTS | LAKE ICE | SNOW | QUIZ |
navigation menu white space Back to Top | Phase Diagram | Hydrological Cycle | Thermal Conductivity | Albedo |

BASIC CONCEPTS: Hydrological Cycle

The hydrological cycle is powered by solar energy and is the continuous circulation of water from the atmosphere to earth and oceans and back again. It involves changes in the physical state of water between liquid, solid, and gas phases. The amount of water never changes but its state and position in the cycle does change.

Water Cycle
Source: United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)

QUESTIONS: Where are the ice and snow in the water cylce?
What is their impact on the cycle?
The important processes in the water cylce are:
  • evaporationanchor link
  • transpirationanchor link
  • transportanchor link
  • condensationanchor link
  • precipitationanchor link
  • infiltration/percolationanchor link
  • groundwateranchor link
  • water tableanchor link
  • surface water runoffanchor link

For definitions of these terms click here.

See animations of some of these processes.

To learn more about the world's water cycle click here.

For more interesting facts about our freshwater supply click here.