Question

starting location|ending location|transition(s) name(s)|what drives this/these transition(s)?
groundwater|lake|
lake|clouds|
clouds|soil|
soil|plant|
plant|clouds|
part 2: questions
answer the following 10 questions. be sure to fully answer each one.

1. what drives precipitation?
2. what drives runoff?

Explanation:

Step1: Identify water - cycle processes

For groundwater to lake: Groundwater discharge (seepage) is the transition. It is driven by hydraulic gradients (difference in water pressure).

Step2: Lake to clouds

Evaporation is the transition. Heat from the sun drives the evaporation of water from the lake surface.

Step3: Clouds to soil

Precipitation is the transition. Gravity and atmospheric conditions drive precipitation.

Step4: Soil to plant

Uptake by plant roots is the transition. Plant transpiration and water - potential gradients drive the uptake of water from the soil by plants.

Step5: Plant to clouds

Transpiration is the transition. Heat from the sun and plant physiological processes drive transpiration.

Step6: What drives precipitation

Precipitation is driven by the cooling of air masses, which causes water vapor to condense into liquid or solid form. This can occur through orographic lifting (air rising over mountains), frontal lifting (air masses colliding), and convective lifting (heating of the Earth's surface causing air to rise).

Step7: What drives runoff

Runoff is driven by gravity. When precipitation exceeds the infiltration capacity of the soil or when the ground is saturated, water flows over the surface as runoff.

Answer:

Starting Location	Ending Location	Transition(s) Name(s)	What drives this/these transition(s)?
Lake	Clouds	Evaporation	Heat from the sun
Clouds	Soil	Precipitation	Gravity and atmospheric conditions
Soil	Plant	Uptake by plant roots	Plant transpiration and water - potential gradients
Plant	Clouds	Transpiration	Heat from the sun and plant physiological processes
-	-	-	-
-	-	Precipitation	Cooling of air masses (orographic, frontal, convective lifting)
-	-	Runoff	Gravity