If sunlight completely disappears from Earth, what will be the main effect on the water cycle?

Correct answer: The water cycle will greatly slow and nearly stop because its main energy source for evaporation will be absent

Correct answer: B. The Sun supplies the main energy that warms oceans, lakes, rivers, and soil. This energy changes liquid water into water vapour through evaporation; plants also release vapour by transpiration. The vapour later cools, condenses, and may fall as precipitation. If sunlight disappeared, evaporation and transpiration would fall sharply, so the ordinary water cycle would become extremely slow and would nearly stop. A is wrong because removing the main energy source cannot speed the cycle. C is wrong because rainfall requires moisture and cloud formation, which would be greatly reduced. D is wrong because solar heating is central to the cycle. The scientifically safer wording is “nearly stop,” since small non-solar heat sources may still exist. Memory cue: Sun heats, vapour rises, clouds form, and rain returns.