The hydrologic cycle, commonly known as "the water cycle", consists of seven major processes:
evaporation (water is converted to the gaseous state of water vapor), transpiration (evaporation of water from plants),
condensation (water vapor is converted back into
liquid water), precipitation (the falling of water in the form of rain, sleet, hail or snow), infiltration (water movement into the soil), percolation (the downward flow of water through soil to the aquifer), and runoff (surface movement of water back to a body of water to repeat the cycle; usually occurs down a sloping surface).