Evaporation from the oceans is the primary mechanism supporting the surface-to-atmosphere portion of the water cycle. After all, the large surface area of the oceans (over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by the oceans) provides the opportunity for large-scale evaporation to occur.

So how can we understand this magical process called the water cycle? There are four main parts to the water cycle: Evaporation, Convection, Precipitation and Collection. Evaporation is when the sun heats up water in rivers or lakes or the ocean and turns it into vapour or steam.

The sun provides energy which drives the water cycle on Earth.

The sun, which drives the water cycle, heats water in the oceans. Some of it evaporates as vapor into the air.

Water body size is all about how much surface area a body of water has – the greater the surface area, the higher the evaporation rate. As they vibrate, molecules near the surface of the liquid water can escape, becoming water vapour and rising up into the atmosphere.

Molecules contained in a liquid evaporate from the surface area. This means that the larger the surface area, the faster the rate of evaporation. Test this by putting water into two different containers. This means all the other factors that affect the rate of evaporation are identical.

1. Start with evaporation. Place a full cup of water in front of a sunny window. Use a marker to make a line at the beginning water level.
2. After evaporation we have condensation. When the water vapor reaches the sky it cools to form clouds.
3. Finally, a precipitation experiment. Again, fill a cup almost full with water.

By definition, evaporation is a process where water changes into vapour. Condensation is the opposite process where water vapour is converted to tiny droplets of water. Evaporation occurs before a liquid reaches its boiling point. Condensation is a phase change regardless of the temperature.