Collection in the water cycle is when precipitation (like rain, snow, or hail) gathers together in places like rivers, lakes, oceans, and even underground as groundwater. It's like the water is being "collected" before it starts the cycle all over again!
Here's a simpler breakdown:
- Rain falls: Imagine it raining outside.
- Water gathers: The rainwater flows into puddles, streams, and eventually larger bodies of water like lakes and rivers.
- Water is "collected": These larger bodies of water act as storage areas, "collecting" the water. The ocean is the biggest collector!
- Cycle starts again: Eventually, the water in these collections evaporates (turns into vapor) and goes back up into the air to form clouds, starting the whole process again.
How the water is collected depends on where it lands:
- On land: Rain might soak into the ground (becoming groundwater) or flow into streams and rivers.
- In the ocean: Rain that falls directly into the ocean simply adds to the total amount of water already there.
So, collection is simply the part of the water cycle where water accumulates in various places on Earth after falling from the sky.
