Question

Felix told his dad that Earth's different spheres contributed to different stages in the water cycle. He showed his dad that water travels through all the spheres. Felix also showed him that the total amount of water on Earth has stayed the same. Why has the total amount of water in the water cycle remained constant?

A) More water vapor condenses to keep the cycle in balance.
B) More precipitation falls than can evaporate and condense.
C) The rate of precipitation and evaporation are in balance.
D) The rate of evaporation competes with the balance of precipitation.

Answer 1

The constancy of water on Earth is maintained because the water cycle balances the rate of precipitation and evaporation, ensuring that the amount of water remains unchanged over time.

Step-by-step explanation:

The total amount of water in Earth's water cycle has remained constant because the rate of precipitation and evaporation are in balance. When water evaporates from the surface of the Earth due to the sun's warmth, it turns into water vapor and moves into the atmosphere. This vapor then condenses into clouds and eventually falls back to Earth's surface as precipitation, like rain or snow. The precipitation can either infiltrate the ground, becoming part of the subsurface groundwater flow, or run off the surface back into oceans and rivers, completing the cycle. It's this balance in the water cycle that ensures the amount of water on Earth remains consistent over time. Therefore, the correct answer to Felix's question is: C) The rate of precipitation and evaporation are in balance.