Which list below describes the next steps of evaporated water through the water cycle?

a. condensation, precipitation, runoff, groundwater
b. precipitation, condensation, runoff, groundwater
c. transpiration, condensation, precipitation, ocean storage
d. evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff

The correct answer would be A. Condensation, precipitation, runoff, groundwater.

Water cycle explains the cyclic movement of water through the four spheres of the earth.

The water undergoes different physical states while moving through the cycle.

It starts with the evaporation by surface water is transported from the hydrosphere to the atmosphere in the form of water vapors. Transpiration and sublimation also lead to the formation of water vapors in the atmosphere.

The temperature keeps decreasing as the water vapors rise up in the sky. The lower temperature condenses the water vapors into tiny drops which form clouds and fog in the sky.

The tiny droplets accumulate to form bigger droplets and with the combined effect of temperature, wind, and gravity they precipitate in the form of rain, snow, frost, dew et cetera.

The water that falls on the earth surface then runoff into water bodies like stream, lakes, river, seas, and oceans.

Some of the water infiltrates into the soil and form the groundwater.