Topic: where does the rain go?
Rainwater goes through a natural process known as the water cycle, which involves several stages. When it rains, the water generally follows these steps:
1. Precipitation: Rainwater falls from clouds in the form of raindrops.
2. Runoff: Depending on the terrain, some rainwater flows over the surface, forming streams and rivers and eventually making its way into lakes, oceans, or other bodies of water. This is called surface runoff.
3. Infiltration: Some rainwater seeps into the ground, infiltrating through the soil and into porous rock layers. This water is called groundwater.
4. Evaporation: The sun's heat causes water on the Earth's surface, such as puddles or bodies of water, to evaporate, turning it into water vapour. This water vapour rises into the atmosphere.
5. Condensation: As the water vapour rises, it cools down and condenses into tiny water droplets, forming clouds.
6. Precipitation (again): Eventually, the condensed water droplets in the clouds become heavy enough to fall back to the Earth's surface as precipitation, restarting the cycle.
It's important to note that the exact path of rainwater can vary depending on factors such as topography, climate, and human-made infrastructure.