To answer the question regarding what the hydrological cycle is concerned with, we can follow these steps:
### Step 1: Understand the Hydrological Cycle
The hydrological cycle, also known as the water cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. It involves processes such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff.
### Step 2: Identify the Components of the Hydrological Cycle
The hydrological cycle includes various components:
- **Hydrosphere**: This includes all the water bodies like oceans, rivers, lakes, and groundwater.
- **Atmosphere**: This is the layer of gases surrounding the Earth where water vapor exists and clouds form.
- **Lithosphere**: This refers to the Earth's land surface, including soil and rocks where water can infiltrate and be stored.
### Step 3: Analyze the Interaction of These Components
In the hydrological cycle:
- Water evaporates from the hydrosphere (e.g., oceans and lakes) into the atmosphere.
- In the atmosphere, water vapor condenses to form clouds.
- Eventually, precipitation occurs, and water falls back to the lithosphere as rain or snow.
- This water can then flow back into the hydrosphere through rivers or infiltrate into the lithosphere as groundwater.
### Step 4: Conclusion
Since the hydrological cycle involves interactions between the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, it is concerned with all of these components.
### Final Answer
The hydrological cycle is concerned with **all of these** (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere).
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