The Natural Water Cycle
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The Natural Water Cycle
什么是水循环?
什么是水循环?回答这个问题非常容易 ---水循环通常也被称为"水分循环"或"水文循环",是指水在地球上、地球中以及地球上空的存在及运动情况。地球的水处于不停地运动中,并且不停地变换着存在形式,从液体变成水蒸气再变成冰,然后再循环往复。水循环已经持续了几十亿年,地球上的所有生命都依赖于水循环。如果没有水循环,地球将会是一个毫无生气的地方。
什么是水循环?
什么是水循环?回答这个问题非常容易 ---水循环通常也被称为"水分循环"或"水文循环",是指水在地球上、地球中以及地球上空的存在及运动情况。地球的水处于不停地运动中,并且不停地变换着存在形式,从液体变成水蒸气再变成冰,然后再循环往复。水循环已经持续了几十亿年,地球上的所有生命都依赖于水循环。如果没有水循环,地球将会是一个毫无生气的地方。
![El ciclo natural del agua, The natural water cycle, Spanish](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/water-cycle-natural-spanish.jpg?itok=kuTPFDwe)
El Ciclo del Agua
Vannets kretsløp, The Natural Water Cycle, Norwegian
Vannets kretsløp, The Natural Water Cycle, Norwegian
![Cykl Hydrologiczny, The Natural Water Cycle, Polish](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/water-cycle-natural-polish.jpg?itok=-yGBkSW3)
Cykl Hydrologiczny, The Natural Water Cycle, Polish
Czym jest cykl hydrologiczny?
Cykl Hydrologiczny, The Natural Water Cycle, Polish
Czym jest cykl hydrologiczny?
The new and revised "USGS Water Science School" site is ready for you to visit and learn all about water ... no matter what your age.
Access it at:
The new and revised "USGS Water Science School" site is ready for you to visit and learn all about water ... no matter what your age.
Access it at:
This image shows blue spheres representing relative amounts of Earth's water in comparison to the size of the Earth. Are you surprised that these water spheres look so small? They are only small in relation to the size of the Earth.
This image shows blue spheres representing relative amounts of Earth's water in comparison to the size of the Earth. Are you surprised that these water spheres look so small? They are only small in relation to the size of the Earth.
![A paper clip floating on water, due to surface tension.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/wss-property-surface-tension-paper-clip-floating_0.jpg?itok=L2UMtiWu)
It seems to defy the laws of physics, but a paper clip made of steel can indeed float on the water surface. The high surface tension helps the paper clip - with much higher density - float on the water.
It seems to defy the laws of physics, but a paper clip made of steel can indeed float on the water surface. The high surface tension helps the paper clip - with much higher density - float on the water.
![Water in a glass cylinder, showing the meniscus.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/wss-wp-meniscus.jpg?itok=X9ara4dh)
What is a meniscus?
A meniscus is a curve in the surface of a molecular substance (water, of course) when it touches another material. With water, you can think of it as when water sticks to the inside of a glass.
Why a meniscus occurs
What is a meniscus?
A meniscus is a curve in the surface of a molecular substance (water, of course) when it touches another material. With water, you can think of it as when water sticks to the inside of a glass.
Why a meniscus occurs
![Pesticides in groundwater can eventually contaminate well water.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/wss-contamination-gw-wells.png?itok=uNZrPpU7)
Chemicals can take a long time to appear in groundwater
Chemicals can take a long time to appear in groundwater
Qu'est-ce que le cycle de l'eau?
Qu'est-ce que le cycle de l'eau?
![The strong polar bond between water molecules creates water cohesion.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/molecule3_0.png?itok=xBMaYyXf)
Cohesion: Hydrogen Bonds Make Water Sticky
Cohesion: Hydrogen Bonds Make Water Sticky
![An algae bloom on Lake Le-Auqa-Na, Illinois.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/wss-qw-algal-bloom-lake.jpg?itok=1vAwFG3l)
Harmful Algal Blooms
The Grand Average Climatology dataset covers June 2000 to May 2019. It shows the well-known structure of global precipitation: Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) near the Equator, South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) and smaller South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ), relatively dry subtropical highs, and mid-latitude storm tracks.
The Grand Average Climatology dataset covers June 2000 to May 2019. It shows the well-known structure of global precipitation: Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) near the Equator, South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) and smaller South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ), relatively dry subtropical highs, and mid-latitude storm tracks.
Learn About Water!
You may know that groundwater serves many purposes worldwide. Of course, drinking water and domestic uses of water are major components of those uses. The ways of getting at groundwater differ depending on the local underground conditions.
You may know that groundwater serves many purposes worldwide. Of course, drinking water and domestic uses of water are major components of those uses. The ways of getting at groundwater differ depending on the local underground conditions.
![Water seeping out of the ground at an exposed driveway cut into the ground.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/wss-gwflow-driveway.jpg?itok=6sK8ukx-)
My neighbor's driveway with some water on it... not very exciting, but it is an excellent example of how groundwater flows underground and can seep back to the land surface. This simple process demonstrates one of the basic aspects of the water cycle.
My neighbor's driveway with some water on it... not very exciting, but it is an excellent example of how groundwater flows underground and can seep back to the land surface. This simple process demonstrates one of the basic aspects of the water cycle.
![Schematic of drawdown as a result of overpumping](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/drawdown_0.png?itok=gMzP4y8u)
Groundwater occurs in the saturated soil and rock below the water table. If the aquifer is shallow enough and permeable enough to allow water to move through it at a rapid-enough rate, then people can drill wells into it and withdraw water.
Groundwater occurs in the saturated soil and rock below the water table. If the aquifer is shallow enough and permeable enough to allow water to move through it at a rapid-enough rate, then people can drill wells into it and withdraw water.
![Trends in total fresh and saline water withdrawals, 1950-2015](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/fresh_saline_trends.png?itok=3E1lzTDa)
As the chart shows, the use of saline water, and freshwater, also, has been trending downward since peaking in 1980. Of interest, from 1950 to 1975 the use of saline water increased at a much higher rate than freshwater use.
As the chart shows, the use of saline water, and freshwater, also, has been trending downward since peaking in 1980. Of interest, from 1950 to 1975 the use of saline water increased at a much higher rate than freshwater use.
Total saline water withdrawals by State, 2015
Total saline water withdrawals by State, 2015