What do you mean by water cycle? Explain with the help of a neat diagram.

The continuous interchange of water between the oceans, atmosphere and land is called Hydrological cycle or Water cycle. It connects all the three realms of the earth: lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.

The differential heating of the earth by the sun causes water to evaporate. The atmospheric blanket around the earth does not allow water vapour to escape. When the water vapour comes in contact with the cooler layers of atmosphere, it condenses to form clouds and falls back on the earth in the form of rain, snow or hail. This water flows into rivers or goes underground or back into the oceans. This circulation of water in different forms is called water cycle.