![]() ![]() Surface runoff is a major component of the water cycle. Furthermore, runoff can occur either through natural or human-made processes. Surface runoff often occurs because impervious areas (such as roofs and pavement) do not allow water to soak into the ground. This can occur when the soil is saturated by water to its full capacity, and the rain arrives more quickly than the soil can absorb it. It occurs when excess rainwater, stormwater, meltwater, or other sources, can no longer sufficiently rapidly infiltrate in the soil. Surface runoff (also known as overland flow) is the unconfined flow of water over the ground surface, in contrast to channel runoff (or stream flow). The water cycle is also essential for the maintenance of most life and ecosystems on the planet. It is also involved in reshaping the geological features of the Earth, through processes including erosion and sedimentation. The flow of liquid water and ice transports minerals across the globe. The evaporative phase of the cycle purifies water which then replenishes the land with freshwater. When it condenses, it releases energy and warms the environment. When water evaporates, it takes up energy from its surroundings and cools the environment. The water cycle involves the exchange of energy, which leads to temperature changes. The ocean plays a key role in the water cycle as it is the source of 86% of global evaporation. In doing so, the water goes through different forms: liquid, solid ( ice) and vapor. The water moves from one reservoir to another, such as from river to ocean, or from the ocean to the atmosphere, by the physical processes of evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, surface runoff, and subsurface flow. The mass of water on Earth remains fairly constant over time but the partitioning of the water into the major reservoirs of ice, fresh water, saline water (salt water) and atmospheric water is variable depending on a wide range of climatic variables. The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle or the hydrological cycle, is a biogeochemical cycle that describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth. Diagram depicting the global water cycle.
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