UNIVERSIDAD DE MANILA

Justice Carmen Munoz Palma St, Mehan Gardens,

City of Manila, Philippines 1000
College of Education

EARTH SCIENCE

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE: WATER CYCLE

Overview
Water cycle is also known as hydrologic/ hydrological cycle.
Water cycle is the a biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of water.
(On the surface of the earth, above the surface of the earth and below the surface of the earth)

Stages of water cycle

1. Evaporation
1.1 Transpiration
1.2 Sublimation
2. Condensation
3. Precipitation
3.1 Deposition

Other process of water cycle

 Advection
 Runoff
 Subsurface flow
 Infiltration
 Percolation

Theorization of water cycle:

1. "The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about
continually, and the wind returneth again according to its circuits. All the rivers run into
the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come,
thither they return again" (Ecclesiastes 1:6-7). In hebrew bible, scholars observed that
even though the rivers ran into the sea, the sea never became full.
a) Furthermore, it was also observed that when the clouds were full, they emptied rain on the
earth.
b) a Hebrew prophet, Amos, stated that water comes from the sea and is poured out on the
earth.
2. Discovery of the correct theory, The first published thinker to assert that rainfall alone
was sufficient for the maintenance of rivers was Bernard Palissy (1580 CE), who is often
credited as the discoverer of the modern theory of the water cycle.

Stages of the water cycle:

1. Evaporation - The transformation of water with the use of energy rom liquid to gas phases.
- Primary energy used for evaporation is called Solar Energy it comes from Solar
Radiation.
- Gas phase of water is called Water vapor. Thus, evaporation.
1.1 Transpiration - The release of water vapor from plants and soil into the air.
1.2 Sublimation - The process of snow and ice changing into water vapor (gas) in the air
without melting first into water; For sublimation to occur, low temperatures, strong winds,
intense sunlight and very low air pressure must be in sync. Example: at the peak of Mt. Everest.

2. Condensation - The transformation of water vapor to liquid water droplets in the air,
creating clouds and fog.

3. Precipitation - Condensed water vapor that falls to the Earth's surface. Most precipitation
occurs as rain, but also includes snow, hail, fog drip, graupel, and sleet.
3.1 Deposition - Opposite of sublimation; The process where water vapor changes directly into
ice such a snowflakes and frost.

Other processes of water cycle:

 Advection - The movement of water through the atmosphere. Without advection, water that
evaporated over the oceans could not precipitate over land.
 Runoff - The variety of ways by which water moves across the land. This includes both
surface runoff (aqueduct) and channel runoff (streams). As it flows, the water may seep into
the ground, evaporate into the air, become stored in lakes or reservoirs, or be extracted for
agricultural or other human uses.
 Subsurface flow - The flow of water underground, in the vadose zone (below
ground but above aquifer) and aquifers (passage of water well). Subsurface water may
return to the surface (e.g. as a spring or by being pumped) or eventually seep into the
oceans.
 Infiltration - The flow of water from the ground surface into the ground. Once infiltrated, the
water becomes soil moisture or groundwater.
 Percolation - Water flows vertically through the soil and rocks under the influence
of gravity.
Whilst infiltration and percolation are both downward movement of water through the soil,
infiltration stops at the soils while in percolation gravity pulls the water more deeper
until it passes through permeable rocks and reach aquifer(s).
Moreover, percolation occurs slower than infiltration.