What does the hydrologic cycle describe?

The hydrologic cycle, also known as the water cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. Here are the steps:

1. Evaporation: This is the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or vapor. This is the primary method that water moves from the liquid state back into the water cycle as atmospheric water vapor.

2. Transpiration: It is the process where plants absorb water through the roots and then give off water vapor through pores in their leaves.

3. Condensation: As water vapor in the air cools down, it becomes water again. This process is called condensation.

4. Precipitation: Condensed water vapor that falls to the Earth's surface. Most precipitation occurs as rain, but also includes snow, hail, fog drip, etc.

5. Infiltration: Some of the water that falls onto the surface of the land, infiltrates into the subsurface soil and rock layers.

6. Runoff: Water from rain, snowmelt, or other sources, that flows over the land surface, and is a major component of the water cycle.

7. Storage: Water can be stored in different parts of the water cycle for different amounts of time before moving. The storage areas are the atmosphere, oceans, lakes, rivers, soils, glaciers, snowfields, and groundwater.

These steps are repeated over and over, hence the term "cycle".