what is water cycle essay

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Biology library

Course: biology library   >   unit 28.

• Intro to biogeochemical cycles
• Biogeochemical cycles overview

The water cycle

• The carbon cycle
• The nitrogen cycle
• The phosphorus cycle
• Phosphorus cycle
• Eutrophication and dead zones
• Biogeochemical cycles
• The vast majority of Earth's water is saltwater found in oceans. Only a tiny fraction is readily accessible freshwater, which is what humans need.
• Water found at the Earth's surface can cycle rapidly, but much of Earth's water lies in ice, oceans, and underground reservoirs; this water cycles slowly.
• The water cycle is complex and involves state changes in water as well as the physical movement of water through and between ecosystems.
• Groundwater is found underground between soil particles and in cracks of rocks. Aquifers are groundwater reservoirs often tapped by wells.

Water: Why does it matter?

The water cycle drives other cycles., attribution.

• " Biogeochemical cycles " by Robert Bear, David Rintoul, Bruce Snyder, Martha Smith-Caldas, Christopher Herren, and Eva Horne, CC BY 4.0 ; download the original article for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]
• " Biogeochemical cycles " by OpenStax College, Concepts of Biology, CC BY 4.0 ; download the original article for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]

Works cited

• "The World's Water," The USGS Water Science School, last modified May 2, 2016, http://water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherewater.html .
• John W. Kimball, "Transpiration," last modified May 16, 2011, http://www.biology-pages.info/T/Transpiration.html .
• Sunny Datko, "What Is Plant Transpiration?" San Diego Hydro, last modfiied May 30, 2012, http://sdhydroponics.com/2012/05/30/what-is-plant-transpiration/ .

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What Is the Water Cycle?

Water can be found all over Earth in the ocean, on land and in the atmosphere. The water cycle is the path that all water follows as it moves around our planet.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Data source: NASA's Earth Observatory

On Earth, you can find water in all three states of matter: solid , liquid and gas . Liquid water is found in Earth’s oceans, rivers, lakes, streams—and even in the soil and underground. Solid ice is found in glaciers , snow, and at the North and South Poles . Water vapor—a gas—is found in Earth’s atmosphere.

How does water travel from a glacier to the ocean to a cloud? That’s where the water cycle comes in.

The Water Cycle

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The Sun’s heat causes glaciers and snow to melt into liquid water. This water goes into oceans, lakes and streams. Water from melting snow and ice also goes into the soil. There, it supplies water for plants and the groundwater that we drink.

Snow falling on a glacier during winter months usually replaces any water that melts away in the summer. However, due to Earth’s overall warming , most glaciers today are losing more ice than they regain, causing them to shrink over time.

How does water get into the atmosphere? There are two main ways this happens:

• Heat from the Sun causes water to evaporate from oceans, lakes and streams. Evaporation occurs when liquid water on Earth’s surface turns into water vapor in our atmosphere.
• Water from plants and trees also enters the atmosphere. This is called transpiration .

Warm water vapor rises up through Earth’s atmosphere. As the water vapor rises higher and higher, the cool air of the atmosphere causes the water vapor to turn back into liquid water, creating clouds. This process is called condensation .

When a cloud becomes full of liquid water, it falls from the sky as rain or snow—also known as precipitation . Rain and snow then fill lakes and streams, and the process starts all over again.

Clouds, like these over the savannah in Nairobi, Kenya, form when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses back into liquid water. Credit: Department of State

Why Do We Care About the Water Cycle?

We care about the water cycle because water is necessary for all living things. NASA satellites orbiting Earth right now are helping us to understand what is happening with water on our planet.

Water in the Soil

Humans need water to drink, and to water the plants that grow our food. NASA has a satellite called SMAP —short for Soil Moisture Active Passive —that measures how much water is in the top 2 inches (5 cm) of Earth’s soil . This can help us understand the relationship between water in the soil and severe weather conditions, such as droughts.

Water in the Atmosphere

NASA’s CloudSat mission studies water in our atmosphere in the form of clouds. CloudSat gathers information about clouds and how they play a role in Earth’s climate. Also, the international satellite called the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM) observes when, where and how much it rains and snows on Earth.

Water in the Oceans

As Earth’s climate becomes warmer, land ice at the North and South Poles starts melting. The water then flows into the ocean, causing sea level to rise. NASA’s Jason-3 mission—short for Joint Altimetry Satellite Oceanography Network-3 —orbits Earth collecting information about sea level and ocean temperature. This helps track how the ocean responds to Earth’s changing climate.

NASA is also tracking how Earth’s water moves all around our planet. This is the work of the GRACE-FO —or Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment-Follow On —mission. It tracks the movement of water from one month to the next, and can even measure changes in deep groundwater hundreds of feet below Earth’s surface.

NASA’s Aqua satellite also collects a large amount of information about Earth’s water cycle, including water in the oceans, clouds, sea ice, land ice and snow cover.

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Hydrologic Cycle

The water cycle describes how water is exchanged (cycled) through Earth's land, ocean, and atmosphere.

Earth Science, Meteorology, Geography, Physical Geography, Geology

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The  water cycle  describes how water is exchanged (cycled) through Earth's land, ocean, and atmosphere. Water always exists in all three phases, and in many forms—as  lakes and  rivers ,  glaciers and  ice sheets , oceans and seas, underground  aquifers , and  vapor  in the air and clouds .

Evaporation , Condensation , and Precipitation

The water cycle consists of three major processes: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

Evaporation

Evaporation is the process of a liquid's surface changing to a gas. In the water cycle, liquid water (in the ocean, lakes, or rivers) evaporates and becomes water vapor.

Water vapor surrounds us, as an important part of the air we breathe. Water vapor is also an important  greenhouse gas . Greenhouse gases such as water vapor and carbon dioxide  insulate Earth and keep the planet warm enough to maintain life as we know it. Increasing amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere also contribute to global warming.

The water cycle 's e vaporation process is driven by the sun. As the sun interacts with liquid water on the surface of the ocean, the water becomes an invisible gas (water vapor ). E vaporation is also influenced by  wind ,  temperature , and the  density  of the body of water.

Condensation

Condensation is the process of a gas changing to a liquid. In the water cycle, water vapor in the atmosphere condenses and becomes liquid.

Condensation can happen high in the atmosphere or at ground level.  Clouds form as water vapor condenses, or becomes more concentrated (dense). Water vapor condenses around tiny particles called  cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) . CCN can be specks of dust, salt, or  pollutants . Clouds at ground level are called  fog  or mist.

Like e vaporation , condensation is also influenced by the sun. As water vapor cools, it reaches its saturation limit, or  dew point .  Air pressure  is also an important influence on the dew point of an area.

Precipitation

As is the case with evaporation and condensation, precipitation is a process. Precipitation describes any liquid or solid water that falls to Earth as a result of condensation in the atmosphere. Precipitation includes rain, snow, and hail.

Fog is not precipitation. The water in fog does not condense sufficiently to precipitate, or liquefy and fall to Earth. Fog and mist are a part of the water cycle called suspensions: They are liquid water suspended in the atmosphere.

Precipitation is one of many ways water is cycled from the atmosphere to the earth or ocean.

Other Processes

Evaporation, condensation, and precipitation are important parts of the water cycle. However, they are not the only ones.

Runoff , for instance, describes a variety of ways liquid water moves across land.  Snowmelt , for example, is an important type of runoff produced as snow or glaciers melt and form streams or pools.

Transpiration  is another important part of the water cycle . Transpiration is the process of water vapor being released from plants and soil. Plants release water vapor through  microscopic   pores called  stomata . The opening of stomata is strongly influenced by light, and so is often associated with the sun and the process of e vaporation .  Evapotranspiration  is the combined components of e vaporation and transpiration , and is sometimes used to evaluate the movement of water in the atmosphere.

States of Water

Through the water cycle, water continually circulates through three states: solid, liquid, and vapor.

Ice is solid water. Most of Earth's fresh water is ice, locked in massive glaciers, ice sheets, and ice caps .

As ice melts, it turns to liquid. The ocean, lakes, rivers, and underground aquifers all hold liquid water.

Water vapor is an invisible gas. Water vapor is not evenly distributed across the atmosphere. Above the ocean, water vapor is much more abundant, making up as much as four percent of the air. Above isolated deserts, it can be less than one percent.

The Water Cycle and Climate

The water cycle has a dramatic influence on Earth's climate and  ecosystems .

Climate is all the  weather  conditions of an area, evaluated over a period of time. Two weather conditions that contribute to climate include humidity and temperature . These weather conditions are influenced by the water cycle .

Humidity is simply the amount of water vapor in the air. As water vapor is not evenly distributed by the water cycle, some regions experience higher humidity than others. This contributes to radically different climates. Islands or coastal regions, where water vapor makes up more of the atmosphere, are usually much more humid than inland regions, where water vapor is scarcer.

A region's temperature also relies on the water cycle . Through the water cycle , heat is exchanged and temperatures   fluctuate . As water e vaporates , for example, it absorbs energy and cools the local environment. As water condenses, it releases energy and warms the local environment.

The Water Cycle and the Landscape

The water cycle also influences the  physical geography  of Earth. Glacial melt and  erosion  caused by water are two of the ways the water cycle helps create Earth's physical features.

As glaciers slowly expand across a landscape , they can carve away entire  valleys , create mountain peaks, and leave behind rubble as big as boulders. Yosemite Valley , part of Yosemite National Park in the U.S. state of California, is a  glacial valley . The famous Matterhorn, a peak on the Alps between Switzerland and Italy, was carved as glaciers collided and squeezed up the earth between them. Canada's "Big Rock" is one of the world's largest " glacial erratics ," boulders left behind as a glacier advances or retreats.

Glacial melt can also create  landforms . The  Great Lakes , for example, are part of the landscape of the Midwest of the United States and Canada. The Great Lakes were created as an enormous ice sheet melted and retreated, leaving liquid pools.

The process of erosion and the movement of runoff also create varied landscapes across Earth's surface. Erosion is the process by which earth is worn away by liquid water, wind, or ice.

Erosion can include the movement of runoff. The flow of water can help carve enormous canyons, for example. These canyons can be carved by rivers on high plateaus (such as the Grand Canyon, on the Colorado Plateau in the U.S. state of Arizona). They can also be carved by  currents deep in the ocean (such as the Monterey Canyon, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the U.S. state of California).

Reservoirs and Residence Time

Reservoirs are simply where water exists at any point in the water cycle. An underground aquifer can store liquid water, for example. The ocean is a reservoir. Ice sheets are reservoirs. The atmosphere itself is a reservoir of water vapor.

Residence time  is the amount of time a water molecule spends in one reservoir. For instance, the residence time of "fossil water," ancient  groundwater  reservoirs, can be thousands of years.

Residence time for water in the Antarctic ice sheet is about 17,000 years. That means that a molecule of water will stay as ice for about that amount of time.

The residence time for water in the ocean is much shorter—about 3,200 years.

The residence time of water in the atmosphere is the shortest of all—about nine days.

Calculating residence time can be an important tool for developers and engineers. Engineers may consult a reservoir's residence time when evaluating how quickly a pollutant will spread through the reservoir, for instance. Residence time may also influence how communities use an aquifer.

Breaking the Cycle The water cycle can change. Glacial retreat is the process in which glaciers melt faster than their ice can be replaced by precipitation. Glacial retreat limits the amount of fresh water available on Earth. We are experiencing the fastest rate of glacial retreat in recorded history.

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Related Resources

The Process of the Water Cycle Research Paper

Introduction, water cycle process, works cited.

Nature comprises many processes that recycle various elements to avoid human wastage. Nature does not waste any of its elements and recycles them all including water, air and organic fertility. Recycling of natural elements occurs in order to maintain ecological balance for survival of all living species.

However, human beings have meddled with nature so much that problems such as depletion of ozone layer and global warming are inflicting the human race adversely (Kalman and Sjonger 11). An example of a process in which nature recycles one of its constituent elements is the water cycle. By definition, the water cycle is a continuous movement of water between the earth surface and the atmosphere (Kalman and Sjonger 11).

The water moves from water bodies such as oceans and rivers into the atmosphere and vice versa. It involves several states of matter including solid, gas and liquid in which water changes its form in an unending cycle of precipitation (Kalman and Sjonger 2). The cycle involves several steps that include evaporation, precipitation, run-off and percolation. Each of these steps plays a role in continuing the water cycle.

The water cycle is important in maintaining the right amount of water in nature. In addition, it facilitates the storage of underground water that is used when there is no precipitation (Olien 8). There are several steps involved in the water cycle.

They include evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, sub-surface flow and run-off (Olien 8). In all these steps, water is converted into different states of matter including liquid, gas and solid. Heat exchange is one of the processes that are involved in all the steps. In each of these steps, heat is either lost or gained.

Evaporation

This is the process by which water changes from liquid form to gaseous form (Olien 9). It is the primary process that drives the movement of water from water bodies into the atmosphere in form of water vapor. The main water bodies include oceans, sea, lakes, rivers, dams, streams and ponds.

They provide approximately 90% of the vapor in the atmosphere. The other 10% comes from plants through the process of transpiration (Olien 9). Evaporation takes place when heat from solar energy heats up water in water bodies and causes it to change from liquid to gas. On the other hand, evapotranspiration is the process of water release from the surface of plants and soil due to evaporation (Olien 10).

Transpiration contributes a very low percentage of water vapor in the water cycle. Evaporation is the main process that drives the water cycle. Afterwards, the water vapor rises to the atmosphere and the next step of condensation begins. Research has established that after water molecules rises into the atmosphere, they spend approximately 10 days before being released as precipitation.

Condensation

This is the process by which water vapor changes from vapor into liquid, and is the reverse process of evaporation (Olien 11). Condensation plays a significant part in the water cycle because it results in the formation of clouds. After clouds are formed, they possess the ability to produce precipitation.

Precipitation is the main route through which water returns to the earth surface after the process of evaporation (Olien 11). In times when clouds are not visible, water is still present but in the form of vapor and small water droplets.

Clouds are formed from the combination of these water droplets with atmospheric elements such as dust, smoke and salt. They form tiny cloud droplets that enlarge into clouds as more droplets combine with atmospheric elements. Cloud droplets have different sizes that range from 10 microns to 5 millimeter (Olien 12).

This process takes place in the higher parts of the atmosphere because the weather conditions found there encourage condensation. This is because temperatures are cooler than the lower parts of the atmosphere. As water droplets coalesce, clouds and precipitation may form at the same time. Precipitation refers to clouds in either liquid or solid form falling to the surface of the earth from the clouds (Olien 13).

Precipitation

Precipitation refers to the process by which water is discharged from the atmosphere in a liquid or solid form into the surface of the earth, be it land or water surface (Kalman and Sjonger 16). Precipitation is released from the atmosphere in many forms that include snow, hail, freezing rain, sleet or rain.

It is the main channel that returns water into the surface of the earth. In most cases, precipitation is released as rain. Some precipitation is released from the atmosphere in form of snow, which accumulates in certain places on the ground to form glaciers and icecaps. When temperatures rise during spring, they melt and the water flows back into water bodies.

These structures store water for long periods. Clouds comprise water vapor, which accumulates over a long period to form precipitation (Kalman and Sjonger 16). Precipitation happens when these droplets gain a fall velocity that is greater than the cloud updraft speed. This takes a long time because a single raindrop is made by a combination of millions of tiny cloud droplets.

Surface run-off

This is the runoff of precipitation on the surface of the earth (Kalman and Sjonger 18). When rain hits an impervious surface on the ground, it flows over the surface. This water then flows back into water bodies and evaporates to continue the cycle. It flows into lakes, rivers and streams, from which t floes into the oceans.

Approximately, a complete water cycle takes 9 days. During runoff, water may infiltrate the ground, evaporate or flow back into water bodies. Only about 30% of precipitation that falls from the atmosphere flows back into the oceans. The other 70% evaporates, infiltrates the ground or is transpired (Olien 20). Human beings can also divert surface runoff to desired places for use in agriculture.

Infiltration

This refers to the process of water movement from the earth surface into the ground. A small portion of infiltrated water is held by the shallow soil layer from which it flows horizontally and vertically through the soil layer into the atmosphere (Olien 21). Some water seeps through the ground surface and flows into streams while the rest infiltrates further into the ground and replenishes the ground-water aquifers.

If these aquifers are porous, then people can drill water holes into the aquifers to draw water for domestic and agricultural uses (Kalman and Sjonger 23). Water that infiltrates into the ground stays there for some time before seeping into streams or moving vertically to the surface from where it evaporates.

Ground water storage and discharge

Some water infiltrates into the deep regions of the earth surface and is stored there for long periods. Despite being trapped in the depths of the earth, the water moves slowly since it is part of the water cycle. Ground water is stored in structures known as aquifers. To participate effectively in the water cycle, ground water seeps through the ground and enters the main water bodies by horizontal movement.

The structure of quifers and confining soil and rock layers are the main factors that determine the speed of groundwater movement. In addition, the movement of the water depends on the permeability and porosity of the soil constituents that hold the water. Because of gravity, groundwater moves further downwards into the ground surface and may never move back to the water cycle. It remains trapped in the ground for thousands of years.

Nature comprises many processes that recycle various elements for reuse. Nature has no wastage and recycles all elements including water, air and organic fertility. An example of a process in which nature recycles one of its constituent element is the water cycle. By definition, water cycle is a continuous movement of water between the earth surface and the atmosphere.

The water moves from water bodies found on the surface of the earth to the atmosphere and vice versa. Steps involved in the water cycle include evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, sub-surface flow and run-off. In all these steps, water is converted into different states of matter including liquid, gas and solid. Water evaporates from the surface of the earth, moves into the atmosphere as vapor and condenses to form clouds.

These clouds fall back to the earth surface as precipitation in form of rain, sleet or snow. Some water seeps through the ground surface and flows into streams while the rest infiltrates further into the ground and replenishes the ground-water aquifers. It stays there for some time before seeping into streams or moving vertically to the surface from where it evaporates.

The water cycle is important in maintaining the right amount of water in nature. In addition, it facilitates the storage of underground water that is used when there is no precipitation or during droughts. Some water infiltrates into the deep regions of the earth surface and is stored there for long periods. Despite being trapped in the depths of the earth, the water moves slowly since it is part of the water cycle.

Kalman, Bobbie and Sjonger, Rebecca. The Water Cycle . New York: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2006. Print.

Olien, Rebecca. The Water Cycle . New York: Capstone, 2005. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2023, November 24). The Process of the Water Cycle. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-the-water-cycle/

"The Process of the Water Cycle." IvyPanda , 24 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-the-water-cycle/.

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IvyPanda . 2023. "The Process of the Water Cycle." November 24, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-the-water-cycle/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Process of the Water Cycle." November 24, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-process-of-the-water-cycle/.

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The Water Cycle

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NOAA Water Cycle Resources

NOAA National Weather Service

You may think every drop of rain falling from the sky, or each glass of water you drink, is brand new, but it has always been here, and is a part of the water cycle.  At its most basic, the water cycle is how water continuously moves from the ground to the atmosphere and back again.  As it moves through this cycle, it changes forms.  Water is the only substance that naturally exists in three states on Earth – solid, liquid, and gas.

Over 96% of total global water is in the ocean, so let’s start there.  Energy from the sun causes water on the surface to evaporate into water vapor – a gas.  This invisible vapor rises into the atmosphere, where the air is colder, and condenses into clouds.  Air currents move these clouds all around the earth.

Water drops form in clouds, and the drops then return to the ocean or land as precipitation - let’s say this time, it’s snow.  The snow will fall to the ground, and eventually melts back into a liquid and runs off into a lake or river, which flows back into the ocean, where it starts the process again.

That’s just one path water can take through the water cycle.  Instead of snow melting and running off into a river, it can become part of a glacier and stay there for a long, long time.  Or rain can seep into the ground and become groundwater, where it’s taken up by plants.  It can then transpirate to gas directly through the leaves and return to the atmosphere.  Or, instead of being taken up by the plant, the groundwater can work its way up to a lake, river, spring, or even the ocean.

As you can see, the water cycle can be a very complicated process.  And all its paths through Earth’s ecosystems are complex and not completely understood.

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Why are water cycle processes important?

The water cycle is an extremely important process because it enables the availability of water for all living organisms and regulates weather patterns on our planet. If water didn’t naturally recycle itself, we would run out of clean water, which is essential to life.

Learn more about Earth's water cycle on the Precipitation Education website.

Freshwater seems abundant, but when accounting for all the water on Earth, it's in limited supply. Just three percent of the water on our planet is freshwater. A majority of this water, about two percent of the world total, is contained in glaciers and ice sheets or stored below ground. The remaining one percent is found in lakes, rivers and wetland areas or transported through the atmosphere in the form of water vapor, clouds and precipitation. Rain and snowfall replenish freshwater sources, making it vital to know when, where and how much water is falling at any given time. Using NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement satellite, researchers can track precipitation worldwide and monitor levels from space. For more information, visit http://water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherew ... This video is public domain and can be downloaded at: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?11619

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Water is an important element for the survival of living things.  The hydrologic cycle refers to the precipitation and evaporation of water from the atmosphere and back to the earth. Water on earth is mostly found in the ocean, which covers over 70% of the earth’s surface and is the source for the major reservoir.  In fact, the oceans contain about 97% of the earth’s available water. The hydrologic cycle is driven through solar energy, which causes the water to evaporate into the atmosphere and return to the earth’s surface in the form of precipitation via gravity. Water that falls onto the land can be absorbed through living organisms, such as plants.  Water molecules taken up by plants are returned to the atmosphere in form of evaporation from leaves. Other water molecules are absorbed into the water and undergo photosynthesis through combining with carbon dioxide resulting in high energy molecules referred to as glucose. These glucose molecules are then further broken down during cellular respiration of living organisms into water and carbon dioxide and released back into the atmosphere.

The patterns of both precipitation and evaporation result in the distribution of plants on the earth’s surface.  For instance, this change in hydrologic cycle can be observed in different types of habitats, such as the desert or rain forest.  In deserts, there is a decrease observed in living communities due to the decrease in biological productivity from the lack of water. On the other hand in rain forests, there is an abundance of water resulting in an increased biological productivity.  In these habitats, therefore, different types of plant species and abundance occur. Changes in the hydrologic cycle could results in changes of plant communities in these areas, which thereby effect the distribution of plants on earth.

Living organisms in an ecosystem require both energy and nutrients in order to maintain life activities essential to living organisms, such as growth, development and reproductions. Plants are key to the cycle of energy and nutrients within an ecosystem.  The plants capture sunlight and convert the sunlight into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis. The energy captured through the plants is transferred through the food chain starting with the herbivores. The herbivores eat plants and obtain energy.  Carnivore animals eat the herbivores to obtain energy. Scavengers obtain energy from left over animal remains.  Finally, decomposers obtain energy through decaying material. Sunlight provides the energy that powers life. Nutrients and C N P H20 enter the ecosystem via the non-living components of the planet, such as the atmosphere, earth, or ocean.  Solar energy continually bombards the earth and provides a limitless source of energy.  This flow of energy is limitless since the energy provided from the sun is limitless.  However, the nutrients essential for living organisms is limited.  For instance, the earth only contains a certain amount of available Carbon, Phosphorus, or Nitrogen. The process of photosynthesis provides 1/7 th of the available carbon. Therefore, if cellular respiration were to discontinue and carbon dioxide was not released into the atmosphere, energy for life would also discontinue, as the availability of Carbon would decrease or end for the uptake of plants.  Therefore, the flow of energy and the cycling of nutrients play major roles in the populations within an ecosystem.

The differences in ecosystems depend of two different types of factors. These are abiotic and biotic factors.  The abiotic factors refer to components such as non-living things such as water and light.  The biotic factors are the living community of organisms. Different habitats are comprised of different abiotic and biotic factors.  In a swamp, the most important abiotic factor is water. The water in a swamp has a huge biotic community for micro biotic organisms, such as animal and plant-like protists, fish, plants, insects, amphibians, and reptiles.  Birds and mammals also utilize the swamps as well. All of the biotic community comprises the biotic factors.

Matter and energy flow through an ecosystem when organisms feed on one another, making up the food chain. Food producers are the first chain, such as plants and algae that capture sunlight and convert chemical energy to food via photosynthesis. After the food producers, are the consumers. Consumers consume food producers; therefore, they eat the plant material. Next are the second order consumers, third order consumers and decomposers.

Pyramids were developed to illustrate the energy flow through an ecosystem with the producers on the bottom, consumers, 2 nd order consumers, and third order consumers at the top. This pyramid showed that 16% of the energy is passed on to the consumers, 11% to the secondary consumers, and only 5% to the third order consumers.

The Carbon cycle moves through ecosystems starting with air, since it contains carbon dioxide.  Plants absorb carbon dioxide and break it down to glucose and oxygen. Carbon dioxide also diffuses into water for aquatic plants.  Some of the Carbon atoms are used to build body tissue and other molecules are returned back to the atmosphere. Carbon is also released back to the environment through the burning of wood or fossil fuels. Decomposers also return Carbon to the atmosphere as well. All of these components affect the carbon cycle.

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The Natural Water Cycle (PDF)

Detailed Description

The Water Cycle

Earth's water is always in motion, and the natural water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. Water is always changing states between liquid, vapor, and ice, with these processes happening in the blink of an eye and over millions of years.

• The Water Cycle  - Description of the water cycle
• The Natural Water Cycle  - The Natural Water Cycle diagram in JPG format
• Water Cycle Diagrams - A comprehensive list of water cycle diagrams offered by the USGS Water Science School

Sources/Usage

Public Domain.

Essay on Water Cycle

Students are often asked to write an essay on Water Cycle in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Water Cycle

What is the water cycle.

The water cycle is nature’s way of recycling water. It’s a continuous process that makes sure water on Earth moves from the sky to the land and then back again. This cycle includes rain falling from clouds, water flowing in rivers, and evaporating back into the air.

Steps of the Water Cycle

First, the sun heats up water in rivers, lakes, and oceans, turning it into vapor. This vapor goes up into the sky, forming clouds. When clouds get heavy, they release water as rain or snow, which waters the land. Then, the cycle starts all over again.

Importance of the Water Cycle

The water cycle is crucial because it provides fresh water for plants, animals, and people. It helps grow our food, maintain natural habitats, and replenish drinking water supplies. Without it, life on Earth wouldn’t be possible.

Also check:

• 10 Lines on Water Cycle
• Paragraph on Water Cycle
• Speech on Water Cycle

250 Words Essay on Water Cycle

The water cycle is the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. It is a complex system that involves water exchange between the atmosphere, land, and oceans. The sun’s heat drives the water cycle process, causing water to evaporate, condense, and precipitate. This leads to the constant recycling and renewal of the Earth’s freshwater supply.

Evaporation and Condensation

Solar energy causes water bodies like oceans, lakes, and rivers to evaporate, turning liquid water into water vapor. This water vapor rises into the atmosphere, where cooler temperatures cause it to condense into tiny water droplets or ice crystals. These tiny water droplets and ice crystals form clouds.

Precipitation

As clouds grow denser, they become heavy and can no longer hold all the water they contain. This water then falls back to the Earth’s surface in various forms of precipitation, such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Precipitation replenishes freshwater sources like lakes, rivers, and groundwater, and also supports plant growth and ecosystems.

Collection and Infiltration

When precipitation reaches the Earth’s surface, some of it runs off into streams and rivers, eventually making its way to oceans. The rest seeps into the ground, a process called infiltration. Infiltration replenishes groundwater aquifers, which are essential sources of freshwater for drinking, agriculture, and industrial activities.

Transpiration and Evaporation from Plants

Plants play a crucial role in the water cycle through a process called transpiration. Plants absorb water from the soil through their roots and release it into the atmosphere through their leaves. This process helps regulate the Earth’s temperature and humidity. Additionally, plants contribute to evaporation from the Earth’s surface through the release of water vapor from their leaves.

The water cycle is a continuous and vital process that ensures the Earth has a constant supply of freshwater. It involves the evaporation of water from the Earth’s surface, condensation and precipitation of water vapor in the atmosphere, and the collection and infiltration of water back into the Earth’s surface. Plants play an essential role in the water cycle through transpiration and evaporation. Understanding the water cycle is crucial for appreciating the importance of water conservation and management.

500 Words Essay on Water Cycle

The water cycle is the process by which water moves through the Earth’s atmosphere, land, and oceans. It is a continuous cycle that has been happening for billions of years. Water is essential for all life on Earth, and the water cycle helps to keep the Earth’s climate stable.

Evaporation

The first step in the water cycle is evaporation. Evaporation is the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas. This happens when water is heated by the sun. Water evaporates from the oceans, lakes, rivers, and even from the ground.

Condensation

The second step in the water cycle is condensation. Condensation is the process by which water vapor in the air changes back into a liquid. This happens when water vapor cools down. Water vapor condenses on dust particles in the air to form clouds.

The third step in the water cycle is precipitation. Precipitation is the process by which water falls from the sky. Precipitation can take many forms, such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

The fourth step in the water cycle is runoff. Runoff is the process by which water flows over the land and into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Runoff can also carry pollutants into waterways.

Infiltration

The fifth step in the water cycle is infiltration. Infiltration is the process by which water soaks into the ground. Infiltration is important because it helps to replenish groundwater supplies.

Transpiration

The sixth and final step in the water cycle is transpiration. Transpiration is the process by which plants release water vapor into the air. Transpiration helps to regulate the Earth’s climate and provides water for plants to grow.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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April 4, 2024

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Researchers envision sci-fi worlds involving changes to atmospheric water cycle

by Colorado State University

Human activity is changing the way water flows between the Earth and atmosphere in complex ways and with likely long-lasting consequences that are hard to picture.

Land use change is altering where clouds form and how precipitation is distributed. Meanwhile, weather modification activities like cloud seeding are shifting how nations plan for water use in the face of climate change. These and other changes to the planet's atmospheric water cycle were once hard to imagine but are increasingly part of modern water management on the planet.

Colorado State University Assistant Professor Patrick Keys is an expert in climate and societal change. He has been studying these types of issues for years and realized there was a potential gap when it came to understanding—not only in the public but among the water research community—the lasting implications of these changes.

To better grasp how those kinds of activities could shape the world, he enlisted water scientists from around the globe to write story-based scenarios about the possible futures humanity is facing but perhaps can't quite comprehend yet.

The results were recently published in Global Sustainability as part of a creative pathway to understand atmospheric water research with an eye towards the potential economic and policy issues that may be just beyond the horizon.

The work features striking artist-made images that pair with traditional science fiction narratives as well as alternative story forms like first-person journal entries. Keys said the package offers a wide path—grounded in science—to build a shared understanding of future water management activities and problems.

"Stories are everywhere and are an integral part of human life," he said. "They tell you something different from a graph in a research paper . They allow you to explore how people may feel or react to these kinds of changes. This kind of work provides agency for people and an opportunity to consider these changes no matter their background or level of understanding."

Research for this work came in three distinct phases , according to Keys. First, he used computational text analysis to find recurring themes in journal abstracts about the current state of atmospheric water cycle research. He then sorted the data—identifying clusters of recurring terms against a grid of common economic goods principles for discussion. The goal, he said, was to better describe the ways humans and institutions may interact with the atmospheric water cycle in the future. Specifically: how entities in the future, such as countries or private actors, could eventually act to protect their own resources or how they may leverage advantages to gain access to water as a crucial natural resource in the future.

It's those relationships and interactions, Keys wanted to explore in the third part of this research and where science fiction comes into play.

Science fiction and reality of atmospheric water resources beyond 2050

With a better grip on the potential future relationships of water management in this space, Keys next asked experts to imagine a world that is decades in the future where activities like cloud seeding were common and the long-term results are more apparent.

The result was an exercise in science fiction storytelling with the specific goal of probing reality and envisioning even the weirdest possible outcomes.

"I think we have a sense that some futures are more likely than others, but we need to realize that to adequately cover the possible trajectories our world could head toward, models alone may not cut it," he said. "Especially when we are talking about things that are hard to quantify, like culture or perception, that may wind up playing a large part in the actual outcomes."

To create the narratives, Keys hosted a series of workshops with interdisciplinary water experts from all fields and backgrounds and walked them through a 'futures thinking' approach. The experts were not siloed by discipline and topic during the exercise, with the hope of sparking even more creativity. In the end, 10 story-based scenarios were developed and are included in the paper. Keys also worked with the artist Fabio Comin over the course of a year to create the accompanying imagery.

Keys is based in the Department of Atmospheric Science in the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering. He had several partners in the paper including postdoctoral fellow Rekha Warrier from the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department at CSU. Other researchers came from the University of California, Davis, the University of California, Los Angeles, the Stockholm Resilience Centre, and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Keys said he is now using similar approaches for another project with the Colorado Water Center. He added that one of his goals with both projects was to ignite conversations around the water cycle at what is becoming a key moment for action globally.

"These scenarios have an ability to raise interesting questions about policy, regulation and enforcement—what those all may look like," he said. "This approach can also help us recognize some of the aspects we may not be paying attention to and make better sense of it all."

Provided by Colorado State University

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Researchers envision sci-fi worlds involving changes to atmospheric water cycle

Human activity is changing the way water flows between the Earth and atmosphere in complex ways and with likely long-lasting consequences that are hard to picture.

Land use change is altering where clouds form and how precipitation is distributed. Meanwhile, weather modification activities like cloud seeding are shifting how nations plan for water use in the face of climate change. These and other changes to the planet's atmospheric water cycle were once hard to imagine but are increasingly part of modern water management on the planet.

Colorado State University Assistant Professor Patrick Keys is an expert in climate and societal change. He has been studying these types of issues for years and realized there was a potential gap when it came to understanding -- not only in the public but among the water research community -- the lasting implications of these changes.

To better grasp how those kinds of activities could shape the world, he enlisted water scientists from around the globe to write story-based scenarios about the possible futures humanity is facing but perhaps can't quite comprehend yet. The results were recently published in Global Sustainability as part of a creative pathway to understand atmospheric water research with an eye towards the potential economic and policy issues that may be just beyond the horizon.

The work features striking artist-made images that pair with traditional science fiction narratives as well as alternative story forms like first-person journal entries. Keys said the package offers a wide path -- grounded in science -- to build a shared understanding of future water management activities and problems.

"Stories are everywhere and are an integral part of human life," he said. "They tell you something different from a graph in a research paper. They allow you to explore how people may feel or react to these kinds of changes. This kind of work provides agency for people and an opportunity to consider these changes no matter their background or level of understanding."

Research for this work came in three distinct phases, according to Keys. First, he used computational text analysis to find recurring themes in journal abstracts about the current state of atmospheric water cycle research. He then sorted the data -- identifying clusters of recurring terms against a grid of common economic goods principles for discussion. The goal, he said, was to better describe the ways humans and institutions may interact with the atmospheric water cycle in the future. Specifically: how entities in the future, such as countries or private actors, could eventually act to protect their own resources or how they may leverage advantages to gain access to water as a crucial natural resource in the future.

It's those relationships and interactions, Keys wanted to explore in the third part of this research and where science fiction comes into play.

Science fiction and reality of atmospheric water resources beyond 2050 With a better grip on the potential future relationships of water management in this space, Keys next asked experts to imagine a world that is decades in the future where activities like cloud seeding were common and the long-term results are more apparent.

The result was an exercise in science fiction storytelling with the specific goal of probing reality and envisioning even the weirdest possible outcomes.

"I think we have a sense that some futures are more likely than others, but we need to realize that to adequately cover the possible trajectories our world could head toward, models alone may not cut it," he said. "Especially when we are talking about things that are hard to quantify, like culture or perception, that may wind up playing a large part in the actual outcomes."

To create the narratives Keys hosted a series of workshops with interdisciplinary water experts from all fields and backgrounds and walked them through a 'futures thinking' approach. The experts were not siloed by discipline and topic during the exercise, with the hope of sparking even more creativity. In the end, 10 story-based scenarios were developed and are included in the paper. Keys also worked with the artist Fabio Comin over the course of a year to create the accompanying imagery.

Keys is based in the Department of Atmospheric Science in the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering. He had several partners in the paper including postdoctoral fellow Rekha Warrier from the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department at CSU. Other researchers came from the University of California, Davis, the University of California, Los Angeles, the Stockholm Resilience Centre, and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Keys said he is now using similar approaches for another project with the Colorado Water Center. He added that one of his goals with both projects was to ignite conversations around the water cycle at what is becoming a key moment for action globally.

"These scenarios have an ability to raise interesting questions about policy, regulation and enforcement -- what those all may look like," he said. "This approach can also help us recognize some of the aspects we may not be paying attention to and make better sense of it all."

• Environmental Issues
• Drought Research
• Sustainability
• Environmental Policies
• Resource Shortage
• World Development
• STEM Education
• Evaporation from plants
• Funding policies for science
• Water resources
• Water scarcity
• Sustainable land management
• Surface runoff
• Scientific misconduct

Story Source:

Materials provided by Colorado State University . Original written by Josh Rhoten. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Patrick W. Keys, Lan Wang-Erlandsson, Michele-Lee Moore, Agnes Pranindita, Fabian Stenzel, Olli Varis, Rekha Warrier, R. Bin Wong, Paolo D'Odorico, Carl Folke. The dry sky: future scenarios for humanity's modification of the atmospheric water cycle . Global Sustainability , 2024; 7 DOI: 10.1017/sus.2024.9

Cite This Page :

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Strange & offbeat.

A Solar Eclipse Means Big Science

By Katrina Miller April 1, 2024

• Share full article

On April 8, cameras all over North America will make a “megamovie” of the sun’s corona, like this one from the 2017 eclipse. The time lapse will help scientists track the behavior of jets and plumes on the sun’s surface.

There’s more science happening along the path of totality →

An app named SunSketcher will help the public take pictures of the eclipse with their phones.

Scientists will use these images to study deviations in the shape of the solar surface , which will help them understand the sun’s churning behavior below.

The sun right now is approaching peak activity. More than 40 telescope stations along the eclipse’s path will record totality.

By comparing these videos to what was captured in 2017 — when the sun was at a lull — researchers can learn how the sun’s magnetism drives the solar wind, or particles that stream through the solar system.

Students will launch giant balloons equipped with cameras and sensors along the eclipse’s path.

Their measurements may improve weather forecasting , and also produce a bird’s eye view of the moon’s shadow moving across the Earth.

Ham radio operators will send signals to each other across the path of totality to study how the density of electrons in Earth’s upper atmosphere changes .

This can help quantify how space weather produced by the sun disrupts radar communication systems.

(Animation by Dr. Joseph Huba, Syntek Technologies; HamSCI Project, Dr. Nathaniel Frissell, the University of Scranton, NSF and NASA.)

NASA is also studying Earth’s atmosphere, but far from the path of totality.

In Virginia, the agency will launch rockets during the eclipse to measure how local drops in sunlight cause ripple effects hundreds of miles away . The data will clarify how eclipses and other solar events affect satellite communications, including GPS.

Biologists in San Antonio plan to stash recording devices in beehives to study how bees orient themselves using sunlight , and how the insects respond to the sudden atmospheric changes during a total eclipse.

Two researchers in southern Illinois will analyze social media posts to understand tourism patterns in remote towns , including when visitors arrive, where they come from and what they do during their visits.

Results can help bolster infrastructure to support large events in rural areas.

Read more about the eclipse:

Our Coverage of the Total Solar Eclipse

Dress for the Occasion:  What should you wear for the eclipse? Our fashion critic weighs the options , including an unexpected suggestion from scientists.

Free to View:  Six inmates in upstate New York prisons who sued the state won their lawsuit to view the eclipse , arguing it “is a religious event.” But a statewide prison lockdown during the eclipse will remain in place.

Hearing the Eclipse:  A device called LightSound is being distributed to help the blind and visually impaired experience what they can’t see .

Sky-High Hotel Prices: One Super 8 hotel in the eclipse’s path is charging $949 a night . Its normal rate is $95.

Animal Reactions : Researchers will watch if animals at zoos, homes and farms act strangely  when day quickly turns to night.

A Rare Return:  A total solar eclipse happens twice in the same place every 366 years on average. But people in certain areas will encounter April 8’s eclipse  about seven years after they were near the middle of the path of the “Great American Eclipse.”

 No Power Outages:  When the sky darkens during the eclipse, electricity production in some parts of the country will drop so sharply that it could theoretically leave tens of millions of homes in the dark. In practice, hardly anyone will notice  a sudden loss of energy.

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Water Cycle: The Bio-Geochemical Cycle

Table of contents.

The Water Cycle

Process of Water Cycle

Importance of hydrological cycle processes.

The reason behind the rain, cloud, etc. can be understood by studying the biogeochemical cycle also called the water cycle or hydrological cycle.

The water cycle is a multi-phase journey in which the water molecules from the Earth’s surface make their way towards the atmosphere and return. Sun could be called the powerhouse which initiates this process. There is a continuous exchange of moisture from the water bodies, atmosphere, and land surface.

Most of the moisture found in our atmosphere is a result of evaporation that occurs from oceans, seas, lakes, etc. Evaporation is a process in which the water changes from the liquid phase to the gaseous phase.

Plants also play a role in releasing moisture through the process of transpiration. Plants take in water from the ground through their root system and release them into the atmosphere, with the help of small pores present on the leaves. Sublimation of snow also results in the formation of vapour to a certain extent. Therefore, evaporation, sublimation, and transpiration together are responsible for the water vapour present in the atmosphere.

As water vapours find their way into the lower atmosphere, the air currents raise them up into the higher atmosphere. They undergo condensation there. Condensation is a process in which matter changes its state from the gaseous phase to the liquid phase. Due to condensation and the atmospheric conditions, the vapours get converted into a precipitate such as snow, rain, sleet, or hail. This is the primary system involved in transporting water back to the earth’s surface.

Once the precipitate falls on the surface of the earth, it takes various paths. Some of the precipitates get evaporated. Others seep into the ground while some flow into oceans, rivers, and streams.

Hence, the hydrological cycle repeats itself continuously.

Below is a simple Water cycle diagram, which describes in detail how the Water cycle occurs in the Earth’s atmosphere.

The hydrologic cycle is one of the four major biogeochemical cycles , which constantly recycles the pathogens, elements, minerals and nutrients along with the water in the ecosystem.

Listed below are a few reasons why the Hydrologic Cycle Processes are important:

• It is also involved in maintaining aquatic ecosystems.
• The hydrologic cycle is an essential biogeochemical cycle on the earth for the maintenance of life.
• The hydrologic cycle plays an important role in ensuring the availability of water for all living organisms, including plants, animals, humans and other living species.
• The hydrologic cycle is the greatest natural process which plays a significant role in the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth.

Also Refer :  Importance of Water

To learn more about the water cycle, its significance, activities that affect the hydrological cycle and other related concepts, visit BYJU’S Biology.

Put your understanding of this concept to test by answering a few MCQs. Click ‘Start Quiz’ to begin!

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Samsung Electronics and Procter & Gamble Partnership Creates Tide POD Cold Wash Cycle, Optimized for Cold Water Laundry

The tide pod cold wash cycle will be available on the new bespoke ai laundry combo™ in the u.s. and canada, bringing great cold water wash performance when used with tide hygienic clean heavy duty 10x power pods®.

Tide POD Cold wash cycle menu on the 7-inch screen of Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™

Samsung Electronics has announced a multi-year partnership with Procter & Gamble (P&G), to launch the new Tide POD Cold wash cycle in the U.S. and Canada. With this first-ever Tide Cold Certified cycle, optimized for P&G’s cold water formulated detergent 1 technology, consumers can experience great, cold wash performance on the new Bespoke AI Laundry Combo ™.

The collaboration between Samsung and P&G uses knowled ge and expertise from across the two global companies to create the new Tide POD Cold wash cycle. The new wash cycle is optimized for dissolving Tide Hygienic Clean Heavy Duty 10X Power PODS ® detergent while using cold water, providing excellent laundry performance without consuming energy to heat the water. Compared to the normal warm wash cycle 2 , the Tide POD Cold wash cycle can provide energy savings without compromising wash performance .

“Samsung is dedicated to providing our customers with the ultimate home appliance experience ,” said Moohyung Lee, EVP and Head of the Customer Experience Team for the Digital Appliances (DA) Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our partnership with P&G is a great step in that direction, leveraging Samsung technology and innovation. Looking to the future, we are excited to further expand our partnership with P&G to enhance the customer experience.”

“We are excited to partner with Samsung to further our ambition to turn 3 out of 4 loads to cold by 2030,” said Alex Perez, Senior Director of NA Fabric Care at P&G.  “This partnership and the expertise that both sides bring to the table will ensure consumers will get the best possible wash experience on cold with Samsung when they use Tide.”

Available on Samsung’s Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™

The Tide POD Cold wash cycle will be available on the new Bespoke AI Laundry Combo ™, which provides both a great wash and dry experience within one convenient unit, in the U.S. and Canada. The Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™, also comes with AI Opti Wash & Dry™ 3 , which adjusts to the optimal wash and dry cycles based on factors such as load weight, fabric type and soil level.

Tide Cold Certified Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™

Furthermore, the SmartThings 4 app empowers our consumers to monitor, manage and control not only Samsung smart appliances, but also other smart devices within the connected home ecosystem conveniently from one app. 5

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The partnership with P&G is the latest example of how Samsung continues to work hand in hand with innovative companies to improve the customer experience and deliver energy savings .

About Procter & Gamble

P&g serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including always®, ambi pur®, ariel®, bounty®, charmin®, crest®, dawn®, downy®, fairy®, febreze®, gain®, gillette®, head & shoulders®, lenor®, olay®, oral-b®, pampers®, pantene®, sk-ii®, tide®, vicks®, and whisper®. the p&g community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. please visit  https://pg.com  for the latest news and information about p&g and its brands. for other p&g news, visit them at  https://pg.com/news ., 1 performance tested for tide hygienic clean heavy duty 10x power pods® only. results may differ with other detergents., 2 compared to the normal cycle, in warm water using the tide pod cold wash cycle with tide power pods ® in an 8lb load., 3 detection and sensing capabilities are based on our deep learning models trained using predefined set of data and may yield inaccurate or incorrect results. new datasets may be introduced to our learning models from time to time to enhance its accuracy., 4 available on android and ios devices. a wi-fi connection and a samsung account are required., 5 dependent on manufacturer rollout by product, geography and market. individual experiences may vary., media contact.

Home Appliances [email protected]

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IMF Working Papers

Unveiling the dance of commodity prices and the global financial cycle.

Author/Editor:

Luciana Juvenal ; Ivan Petrella

Publication Date:

April 5, 2024

Electronic Access:

Free Download . Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

We examine the impact of commodity price changes on the business cycles and capital flows in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), distinguishing between their role as a source of shock and as a channel of transmission of global shocks. Our findings reveal that surges in export prices, triggered by commodity price shocks, boost domestic GDP, an effect further amplified by the endogenous decline of country spreads. However, the effects on capital flows appear muted. Shifts in U.S. monetary policy and global risk appetite drive the global financial cycle in EMDEs. Eased global credit conditions, attributed to looser U.S. monetary policy or lower global risk appetite, lead to a rise in export prices, higher output, a decrease in government borrowing costs, and stimulate greater capital flows. The endogenous response of export prices amplifies the output effects of a more accommodative U.S. monetary policy while country spreads magnify the impact of shifts in global risk appetite.

Working Paper No. 2024/082

9798400271618/1018-5941

WPIEA2024082

Please address any questions about this title to [email protected]