Describe the main processes of the water cycle and identify where groundwater fits in.

• A. Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff; groundwater stores water in pore spaces and aquifers, recharged by infiltration
• B. Evaporation and precipitation only
• C. Condensation only
• D. Infiltration is not part of cycle

Answer: (C)

The water cycle moves water through the atmosphere, on the land, and underground through several linked processes. The key steps are evaporation, where water from oceans, lakes, and soils becomes water vapor; condensation, where that vapor cools and forms clouds; precipitation, when water returns as rain, snow, or hail; infiltration, when water soaks into the soil and moves downward; and runoff, when water travels over the surface to rivers and oceans. Groundwater fits in as the underground storage of water—water held in pore spaces in soil and sediments and in rock aquifers. It’s replenished by infiltration and can later feed streams, rivers, or springs, or be accessed by wells. So the most complete description includes these surface processes plus groundwater recharge and storage, reflecting how the cycle links surface and subsurface waters. The other options leave out important pieces (for example, focusing only on condensation or only on a subset of processes) or misstate the role of infiltration, which is essential for moving water into the groundwater system.