What is a Hydrologic Cycle and what are its Processes?

By Balaji

Updated on: February 17th, 2023

The Hydrological cycle, also known as the Water Cycle, implies the continuous water circulation in the Earth atmosphere system. In other words, it can be described as the sum of all processes through which water travels from the land and ocean surfaces to the atmosphere before falling as precipitation on the earth. The various processes are Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Interception, Transpiration, etc.

Table of content

1. Processes of Hydrological Cycle
2. What is a Hydrologic Cycle and what are its Processes?

Processes of Hydrological Cycle

The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth’s surface is referred to as the water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle or the hydrological cycle. The various processes related to the Hydrological Cycle have been given below in detail.

Evaporation: The transfer of water from the earth’s surface to the atmosphere, i.e., water in the liquid state is transferred to the gaseous or vapour state.
Condensation: Process of transfer of water vapour to a liquid state. Water vapour in the atmosphere condenses into liquid.
Precipitation: Process in which the condensed vapour falls from clouds in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail under gravitational pull.
Interception: It refers to the precipitation that does not reach the soil instead intercepted by leaves, branches of plants, and the forest floor.
Infiltration: Rainwater infuses into subsurface soils, travels underground, and moves between the soil and rocks.
Percolation: Water moves through the soil, into deeper layers, and reaches groundwater.
Transpiration: Evaporation of water through minute pores, or stomata, in the leaves of plants.
Runoff: Movement of excess rainwater across the land’s surface and into nearby creeks, streams, or ponds, which the land cannot absorb.
Storage: Water is stored in the atmosphere, on the surface of the Earth, and below ground.

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