water cycle
Let an agent explain the water cycle and its processes and reservoirs, describe its role in climate and ecosystems, present changes due to climate change and human use with attribution, and support learning.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain the water cycle and its processes and reservoirs, describe its role in climate and ecosystems, present changes due to climate change and human use with attribution, and support learning.
The continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth through evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff and groundwater flow, storing and exchanging water among oceans, atmosphere, ice, lakes, rivers, soils and aquifers, with a deep water cycle exchanging water with the mantle over geological time; the water cycle is driven by solar energy and gravity, is central to climate and ecosystems, and is being altered by climate change and human water use.
What it is for: Movement of water through Earth systems.
It can be explain processes and reservoirs; describe role in climate and ecosystems; present changes with attribution; support learning.
Distinguishing features
Solar-driven
Reservoirs and fluxes
Residence times
Climate link
What it looks like
Not physical as a concept; seen in clouds, rain, rivers and groundwater.
How it is recognised
Evaporation, precipitation, runoff, groundwater
Cycling among reservoirs
The carbon and nitrogen cycles are other biogeochemical cycles
Related models
is a kind of - category
is related to - precipitation
is related to - human storage of water
is related to - changes to the cycle
In practice
Families and kinds
atmospheric processes such as evaporation and precipitation
surface processes such as runoff and river flow
subsurface processes such as infiltration and groundwater flow
cryosphere storage
the deep water cycle
Standards and regulation
Hydrological measurement standards
Water resource management law
No regulation of the cycle
Failure modes and hazards
Oversimplifying the cycle as a closed loop
Ignoring groundwater and residence times
Floods and droughts as cycle extremes
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What the water cycle is.
Earth science.
Processes
Processes.
Processes
Processes.
- How do evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration and runoff move water through the cycle? definition
- Which entry fits a specific process? action
Reservoirs
Reservoirs and residence times.
Reservoirs
Reservoirs.
- Where is water stored, in what quantities, and how long does it remain in each reservoir? provenance
- Which entry fits groundwater? action
Systems Role in Earth systems.
Science.
Climate
Climate and weather.
Climate
Climate.
- How does the water cycle drive weather and interact with climate? provenance
- Which entry fits climate? action
Ecosystems
Ecosystems and people.
Ecosystems
Ecosystems.
- How do ecosystems and human societies depend on and modify the water cycle? provenance
- Which entry fits water resources? action
Change Changes and hazards.
Attribution.
Climate change
Climate change effects.
Climate change
Climate change.
- How is climate change altering the water cycle, according to scientific assessments, and what uncertainties remain? provenance
- Which findings carry uncertainty? boundary
Hazards
Floods and droughts.
Hazards
Hazards.
- How do floods and droughts arise from the water cycle, and how are they managed? provenance
- Is a flood or drought emergency present now? boundary
Learn History and teaching.
Education.
History
History.
History
History.
- How did understanding of the water cycle develop from antiquity to modern hydrology? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Teach
Teaching.
Teach
Teaching.
- How can the water cycle be taught beyond the simple diagram? action
- Which misconceptions arise? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- Should each process be a separate entry?
- How should hydrological data be linked?
- How should climate assessments be linked?