Question

How does the water cycle work?

Answer 1

The water cycle is basically, a process which occurs on the nature involving the changing on water phases.

Explanation:

The water cycle is basically, a process which occurs on the nature involving the changing on water phases. This process occurs because the action of the sun who activates the changes of water phases. Involving five stages: Evaporation, Condensation and Precipitation, Infiltration/flow and (evapo)transpiration...

This process begins when the sun energy, reaches a water body then, the water begins to warm who changes to vapour (evaporation).

This water vapour rises the atmosphere where it condenses and forms little water droplets. In this process the clouds are formed (condensation).

When the clouds are too heavy, because of accumulation of little water drops, the water starts to fall, this process is named precipitation.

Part of this precipitation returns to the atmosphere as vapour, feeding back the cycle, and other part hits the ground, infiltrating the soil and serving as a water reserve to the plants. This part of water cycle is very important, because the plants can survive, feeding of the water accumulated on underground.

But, the soil can't absorb all the water who falls as rain. So, part of the water who arrives to ground flows over the surface. The surface flow, begins when the rain exceeds the soil capacity of absorb water. The water flow, both superficial as underground, feed the rivers which in turn feed the lakes and the oceans.

And, lastly, during the process of respiration of the plants and the animal transpiration, part of accumulated water is returned to the atmosphere by the process named evapotranspiration.

Well, this is a simplification of the water cycle. This cycle involves, the evaporation (of water bodies, plants and animals transpiration), condensation (when the water vapour accumulates at the atmosphere), precipitation, infiltration (when the water rain is rits the ground and feed the water table), surface flow (when the soil can't absorb the water rain and begins to flows on surface feeding the rivers, lakes ans the oceans), in an endless process...

I hope, it helps!

References
Ciclo da água. http://www.todamateria.com.br/ciclo-da-agua/
Ciclo hidrológico. https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciclo_hidrol%C3%B3gico
O ciclo da água. http://www.sobiologia.com.br/conteudos/Agua/Agua5.php