How is solar energy important to the water cycle?

1 Answer
Feb 20, 2016

Incoming solar radiation is absolutely key in powering the water cycle.

Explanation:

Incoming solar radiation heats water on the Earth, mostly from the oceans and this cause moisture to evaporate and go into the atmosphere. Then gravity and other meteorological factors cause the moisture to fall as rain or snow (gravity) and then the moisture runs off the land into rivers or groundwater and eventually ends back in the oceans - if the sun suddenly went dim and died, the water cycle would probably stop in a mater or hours or days and we would be in big trouble.http://dnr.wi.gov/wnrmag/html/supps/1999/aug99/under.htmenter image source here