The water cycle is the earth recycling it's finite (limited and fixed) amount of water! The water goes around and around which makes it a cycle. The water cycle is made up of 4 main parts: EVAPORATION-happens when the sun heats water up in River, Streams, Lakes and Oceans and turns it into Steam or Vapor. TRANSPIRATION is part of evaporation and gives it a hand. When people (you and me) sweat we perspire, well when a Plant "sweats" it Transpires! It is the process by which leaves of plants loose or "sweat" water. Transpiration helps Evaporation a little bit by getting the water vapor back in the air.
CONDENSATION-water vapors in the air turn cold and change back to a liquid, forming clouds. This is Condensation.
PRECIPITATION-the water vapor that's getting condensed and turning to liquid is getting very heavy in the clouds. The clouds get so heavy they release the liquid "water" and it falls back to the Earth as Rain, Snow, Sleet & Hail. COLLECTION-When the water falls to the Earth it lands on the Land, In the Rivers, Lakes, Streams and Oceans. On land it will become part of the Ground Water and plants and Animals will use it! Or it may drain or fall directly back into all the bodies of water on Earth, and the Cycle Begins again!
