The cycle is a network, not a fixed circle every drop must complete. Water can remain in snow, soil, an aquifer, or an ocean for different lengths of time. A route through groundwater may return to a river, while another route passes through a plant and back into the atmosphere.
Water and oceans · Discover & try
Where can a drop of water go next?
Reading level 4 of 5 · FluentChange
Word help
evaporation
Liquid water changing into water vapour.
infiltration
Water entering the ground from the surface.
transpiration
Water vapour released from plant leaves.
storage
Water remaining in a place before moving onward.
Watch · Try · Explain
See how it works
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Possible water pathways; arrows do not indicate travel times or probabilities.
What to look for
- More than one route from the same place
- Changes between liquid, ice, and vapour
- Places where water can remain stored
Explain what you noticed
What can happen after rain reaches the land?
Keep this idea: Water can take branching paths and remain stored.
Follow the sources
Source material checked 2026-10-28. Explanations and activities by Nepedia. Agency source links do not imply endorsement.
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