WHICH CYCLE ARE THESE STEPS DESCRIBING? Earth’s water travels through a continuous cycle, moving between the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere as the result of phase change and chemical reactions.

When liquid water in the hydrosphere is heated or gains radiant energy from the Sun, evaporation occurs.

The molecules begin to move quickly and change phase to form water vapor, the gas form of water.

When water vapor rises into the atmosphere, cools, and loses energy, condensation occurs.

The molecules slow as the gas changes phases once again to form a liquid. The resulting water droplets cling together to form clouds.

Precipitation occurs once the collected droplets become heavy and are pulled to Earth by gravity.

The cycle then leaves the atmosphere with the water either entering the geosphere or returning to the hydrosphere.

Water that soaks into the soil is collected by the roots of plants and is carried to the leaves.

Plants combine radiant energy from the Sun, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and water to perform the chemical reaction of photosynthesis.

When the product of the chemical reaction, glucose, is used by the plant for energy, a second chemical reaction, chemical respiration, occurs. As a result of this reaction, transpiration occurs as water is released from the plant back into the atmosphere.