In the water cycle, water falling on land as rain or snow is a process calledMultiple choice question.percolation.evaporation.precipitation.transpiration.

Step 1: Break Down the Problem

The question asks to identify the term that describes water falling on land as rain or snow, within the context of the water cycle. The options provided are:

1. Percolation
2. Evaporation
3. Precipitation
4. Transpiration

Step 2: Relevant Concepts

To solve this question, we need to understand the definitions of the terms provided in the multiple-choice options, specifically within the context of the water cycle:

• Percolation: The process of water moving downward through soil and rock layers.
• Evaporation: The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas.
• Precipitation: Any form of water, liquid or solid, that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the ground (e.g., rain, snow).
• Transpiration: The process by which water is absorbed by plant roots and then evaporated from the aerial parts of the plants.

Step 3: Analysis and Detail

From the definitions:

• Precipitation includes all forms of water that fall from clouds to the Earth's surface, which is exactly what the question is referring to. This makes it the most relevant choice.

Step 4: Verify and Summarize

Given the definitions, we can safely eliminate the other options:

• Percolation is relevant but deals with water movement in soil, not the initial fall.
• Evaporation is the opposite process; it involves water turning into vapor, not falling.
• Transpiration pertains to plants and not directly to falling water.

Final Answer

The correct answer is precipitation.