What happens to water vapor after it has entered the atmosphere as part of the water cycle?

When water vapor enters the atmosphere, it eventually undergoes condensation, which is the process where water vapor cools and changes back into liquid water. This occurs when water vapor in the air cools to its dew point, leading to the formation of tiny water droplets. These droplets then cluster together to form clouds. This process is a crucial part of the water cycle, as it leads to the phenomenon of precipitation, such as rain or snow, which returns water to the Earth's surface.

Understanding condensation is essential when studying the water cycle because it connects the different stages: evaporation leads to the formation of water vapor, and condensation is directly responsible for cloud formation and subsequent precipitation. Without condensation, the water cycle would be incomplete, as there would be no mechanism for water to return to the Earth's surface in a usable form.