The energy source for the water cycle comes from?

The energy source for the water cycle comes from?

• A. Sun
• B. Moon
• C. Earth's core
• D. Wind

Answer: (A)

The Sun provides the energy that powers the water cycle. Solar heat warms water in oceans, rivers, and soil, causing evaporation so water turns into vapor and rises into the atmosphere. Plants also add to this by transpiring water as they use sunlight. This energy input drives the entire cycle—evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. The Moon’s gravity affects tides but doesn’t supply the heat needed for evaporation. Earth’s interior heat is trapped deep inside and is far too weak at the surface to drive the cycle, and wind is simply the movement of air driven by solar heating, not the source of the energy itself.

The Sun provides the energy that powers the water cycle. Solar heat warms water in oceans, rivers, and soil, causing evaporation so water turns into vapor and rises into the atmosphere. Plants also add to this by transpiring water as they use sunlight. This energy input drives the entire cycle—evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. The Moon’s gravity affects tides but doesn’t supply the heat needed for evaporation. Earth’s interior heat is trapped deep inside and is far too weak at the surface to drive the cycle, and wind is simply the movement of air driven by solar heating, not the source of the energy itself.