Final answer:
The water cycle, driven by the sun, involves the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface through processes like evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Water moves between oceans, the atmosphere, and land, providing essential fresh water for life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, is the process through which water circulates from the earth's surface to the atmosphere and back again. It is driven by the sun, which causes evaporation of water from oceans, lakes, and rivers into water vapor. This vapor then condenses to form clouds and falls back to Earth as precipitation in the form of rain or snow. Groundwater is stored in aquifers and can also feed into the oceans, lakes, and rivers through subsurface flow.
Thus, the relationship of water to the Earth is a constant, dynamic interchange involving various stages: liquid, vapor, and ice. Water travels from the surface to the atmosphere, then back to the surface, and sometimes deep into the ground before the cycle repeats. This cycle is critical for all life on Earth as it supports the availability of fresh water.