What is the correct order of the water cycle?

The water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle, is a continuous process through which water moves in various forms between the surface of the Earth and the atmosphere. The correct order of the water cycle starts with evaporation, where water from oceans, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water turns into vapor and rises into the atmosphere due to the sun's heat.

Once the water vapor is in the atmosphere, it cools and undergoes condensation, forming clouds. This is the point at which water changes from vapor back into liquid droplets. Eventually, when the clouds become heavy enough, precipitation occurs, and water returns to the Earth's surface in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

After precipitation, the water collects in surface water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and oceans, where the cycle can begin again with evaporation. The sequence highlights how each stage relies on the preceding one for the continued movement of water through the environment. Therefore, the arrangement that begins with evaporation, transitions through condensation and precipitation, and culminates in surface water accurately reflects the natural flow of the water cycle.