What occurs during condensation in the water cycle?

During condensation in the water cycle, water vapor, which is in the gaseous state, cools and transforms back into liquid water. This process is critical for forming clouds in the atmosphere. As water vapor rises and experiences cooler temperatures at higher altitudes, it loses energy, leading to the aggregation of water molecules into tiny droplets. These droplets cluster together to form clouds, which can eventually lead to precipitation, such as rain, when the droplets grow large enough.

Understanding this phase of the water cycle is important because it plays a key role in weather patterns and the distribution of fresh water on Earth. While evaporation, precipitation, and other processes are essential parts of the water cycle, condensation specifically refers to the transition from gas to liquid, making it a fundamental concept in understanding how water is cycled through the environment.