In environmental science, which term refers to the water cycle?

The term that refers to the water cycle is the hydrosphere. The hydrosphere encompasses all water on Earth, which includes oceans, rivers, lakes, and even water in the atmosphere in the form of vapor and precipitation. The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, outlines the continuous movement of water within the hydrosphere, detailing processes such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration. This term effectively captures the essential processes and components of the water cycle, indicating how water circulates through different stages and reservoirs on the planet.

Other terms like atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere refer to different aspects of Earth's systems. The atmosphere pertains to the layer of gases surrounding Earth, the geosphere relates to the solid Earth (including rocks and landforms), and the biosphere focuses on the regions of Earth that support life. While all these spheres are interrelated and interact with the water cycle, they do not specifically denote the water cycle itself.