Which step in the water cycle involves water falling from clouds?

The process in the water cycle that involves water falling from clouds is known as precipitation. This step occurs when water vapor in the atmosphere cools and condenses into droplets, forming clouds. Once the droplets become heavy enough, they are released back to the Earth's surface in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Precipitation is essential for replenishing water in lakes, rivers, and aquifers and is a crucial aspect of the global water cycle, ensuring the availability of freshwater resources.

The other processes, such as evaporation, involve water transforming from liquid to vapor, and condensation involves the cooling and transformation of water vapor back into liquid droplets, which is part of cloud formation. Infiltration refers to the process of water soaking into the soil from the ground surface. While all these processes are interconnected and critical to the overall water cycle, it is precipitation that specifically describes the falling of water from clouds.