Droplets in clouds keep moving closer together. When the droplets become too heavy, it rains. Another word for rain is precipitation. Rain, snow, fog, hail, sleet and drizzle are all different forms of precipitation.

When water vapor reaches cool air, it condenses and turns into very small droplets, or ice crystals, that hang together in the form of clouds.

When it’s energized, water takes on a different form of matter known as vapor. Energy causes water to evaporate and rise into the atmosphere. The sun provides the energy for the water cycle.

Once water reaches the cloud, it can condense and fall to the ground, or into a lake, or river or ocean. Depending on location, temperature and air pressure, water may condense and snow onto a glacier. It may also remain a droplet and be stuck in a cloud for a long time.

As animals, we’re part of the water cycle. We carry water in our bodies and help it move from place to place.

Water in lakes will most likely evaporate into the atmosphere. However, it could soak into the ground as well and be used by plants, animals and humans.

Once water enters an animal’s body, it helps to keep the body healthy. Eventually, it may leave the body as either waste or perspiration.

There are four paths that water can take from a glacier. It can melt and filter into the ground. It can evaporate and turn into a cloud. It can melt into a body of water, or it can remain frozen for a long time.

Most of the water used in Florida is groundwater. The Floridan aquifer is where lots of our groundwater comes from. An aquifer is an underground layer of sand, gravel or rock that holds water. In addition to the Floridan aquifer, there are other aquifers in Florida such as the surficial, intermediate and Biscayne.

In the same way humans sweat, plants transpire. Transpiration is the process by which plants give off vapor through their pores in their leaves. Plants take in water through their roots. This water travels up their trunks, through their branches and into their leaves. Some of the water that plants absorb from the soil will leave through transpiration, while some of it will remain in the plant.

River water usually flows toward the river’s mouth. Before it gets there, some of the water will evaporate and some of it will flow into lakes and streams. Some water may enter an animal’s body. Also, water may be pulled by gravity into the soil, where it may be absorbed by a plant or go into an aquifer.

Water that falls onto the ground may stay in the soil, be absorbed by a plant, flow over the ground into a river or lake, or evaporate into the atmosphere.

Ninety-seven percent of the earth’s water is salty; it’s not easily used by humans. The remaining 3 percent is freshwater. Only 1 percent of the freshwater can be easily used. The other 2 percent is frozen in ice caps or deep underground.

Most of the water used in Florida is groundwater. The Floridan aquifer is where lots of our groundwater comes from. An aquifer is an underground layer of sand, gravel or rock that holds water. In addition to the Floridan aquifer, there are other aquifers in Florida such as the surficial, intermediate and Biscayne.

In the same way humans sweat, plants transpire. Transpiration is the process by which plants give off vapor through their pores in their leaves. Plants take in water through their roots. This water travels up their trunks, through their branches and into their leaves. Some of the water that plants absorb from the soil will leave through transpiration, while some of it will remain in the plant.

Ninety-seven percent of the earth’s water is salty; it’s not easily used by humans. The remaining 3 percent is freshwater. Only 1 percent of the freshwater can be easily used. The other 2 percent is frozen in ice caps or deep underground.