Final answer:
The movement of water at Earth's surface is part of the water (hydrologic) cycle, which describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface.
Step-by-step explanation:
The movement of water at Earth's surface is part of the water (hydrologic) cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle. This cycle describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface.
The water moves from one reservoir to another, such as from oceans to clouds, rain, groundwater, lakes, rivers, and glaciers, through processes like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, surface runoff, and subsurface flow.
For example, water evaporates from oceans and other surface waters due to the Sun's energy, forming clouds. These clouds then release the water as precipitation, which can fall as rain or snow.
The precipitation can either return to the oceans by surface runoff or flow through rivers and lakes. Some of the water may also infiltrate the ground as groundwater. The water cycle is driven by solar energy and gravity.