Eventually, these new rocks may be brought to the surface by the forces that drive plate motions, and the rock cycle continues. Soil consists of weathered rocks, decomposed organic material from dead plants, animals, and bacteria. Soils are often found in layers, with each having a different chemical composition ant texture. Water, which covers the majority of the Earth's surface, circulates through the crust, oceans, and atmosphere in what is known as the water cycle. Water evaporates from the Earth's surface, rises and cools as it moves to higher elevations, condenses as rain or snow, and falls to the surface where it collects in lakes, oceans, soil and in rocks underground.
Water is a solvent.
As it passes through the water cycle it dissolves mineral sand gases and carries them to the oceans. The atmosphere has different properties at different elevations. Clouds, formed by the condensation of water vapor, affect weather and climate. Some do so by reflecting much of the sunlight that reaches Earth from the sun, while others hold heat energy emitted from the Earth's surface. Global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather.