Video narration
Where does the water in a puddle go when the sun comes out? Some water soaks into soil or flows away. But sunlight warms the puddle, giving water energy to rise into the air as invisible vapor. That change from liquid to vapor is evaporation. Plants release vapor, too. The water hasn't vanished. It's traveling. Higher up, vapor cools and condenses: it forms tiny water droplets or ice crystals. Together, they make clouds, not visible vapor. When droplets or ice fall from clouds, that's precipitation: rain or snow. Water reaches the ground; some gathers in streams and puddles, some soaks into soil. Your puddle's water won't all return to the same spot, or right away. So where did it go? It evaporated into the air, formed clouds, and can fall as rain again-the puddle's water is still traveling.