Division of hydrological cycle

Division of Hydrological Cycle

Hydrological cycle

It is the process of transfer of moisture from the atmosphere to the earth in the form of precipitation conveying of precipitated water by streams, rivers to ocean, seas and lakes and evaporation of water back to the atmosphere.

 It consist of the following process : -

1) Precipitation

  It may be defined as  of moisture from the atmosphere to the surface in any form, precipitation may be in two forms :
 (a) liquid precipitation  and
 (b) frozen precipitation

(a) Liquid Precipitation 

  This type of precipitation is further divided into three types.

 a) Rain: 

When the size of drops is more than 0.5 mm. The upper size of water drops generally 6.25 mm as drops greater than this size tends to break up as they fall  through air.

 b) Drizzle:

 When the size of the water droplets is under 0.5 mm and its intensity is less than 0.01 mm/hour.

c) Sleet: 

They are frozen rain drops coded to ice stage by falling through air at sub freezing temperature.

(b) Frozen Precipitation

(a) Snow: Precipitate in the form of ice crystals resulting from sublimation i.e.water vapour changes directly to ice.
(b) Hail: It is a lamp or bulk of ice over 5 mm dia formed by alternate  freezing or melting as they are carried up and down in turbulent air currents.

 2) Run Off 

 It is that part of precipitation which  It is that part of precipitation which is available on earth surface after loss to the atmosphere.

 Surface runoff: 

 It is that part of precipitation which flows on the earth surface after loss to the atmosphere and loss to the ground.

 Sub surface runoff : 

 It is that portion of precipitation which flows below the surface of the earth through the interconnecting voids of the soil as far as the slope is available or it joins nearby ponds, stream.

 Ground water flow :

 It is that portion of precipitation which after infiltration percolates down and joins the groundwater table.

3) Interception 

 It is that portion of precipitation which is being retained by the trees plants and bushes available on the earth surface.

4) Surface Detention 

 It is that portion of precipitation which is being detained in the natural depression available on the earth surface.

5) Evaporation and Transpiration 

 Water from the surface of oceans, rivers, lakes and moist soil. The vapours are carried over the land by air in the form of clouds. Transpiration in the process of water being lost from the leaves of plant.