Evaporation and condensation in the water cycle

Water doesn’t leave Earth’s atmosphere. It moves around in what is called the water cycle. Water evaporates from sources such as seas and rivers, as well as from Earth's surface. As it moves through the water cycle, water can be in the liquid state, gas state (water vapour), or solid state (ice). Water vapour rises into the atmosphere then cools and condenses into clouds. Water falls to the surface as precipitation (rain, snow, sleet) to continue the process.