Link to Water Cycle Explorer
Link to Riverbasin stage

 

Rain

The droplets of water become larger and heavier as more droplets stick together.

As they become too heavy to be held in the air they fall to earth as rain.

Rain and snow

Snow

If the air is very cold when these droplets fall to earth, they change from a liquid to solid state, called snow.

 

 

Link to Water Cycle Explorer
Water cycle - precipitation stage
Link to Riverbasin stage