Not all precipitation runs off the soil surface into rivers, lakes or dams. What else happens to rainfall?

Question

Not all precipitation runs off the soil surface into rivers, lakes or dams. What else happens to rainfall?

Answer 1

Some water is blocked by the trees and so the process of transpiration takes place.There then may be stem flow, where the water runs through the trees and onto the surface. Other water is evaporated. Some water enters the ground thought a process called infiltration, where it is then stored as soil water. Some water then penetrates through the rocks in the ground in a process known as percolation. And finally water may then be stored underwater, giving a ground water flow.

Answer 2

infiltration and transpiration

Answer 3

Some water evaporates.

Some water replenishes aquifers.

Some water fills the pore spaces in the soil raising the water table.

Transpiration does take place in the leaves of trees; however, it does not occur due to water falling on the foliage. Water is absorbed by plant roots from soils and flows up stems to the leaves. Transpiration occurs when water vapor flows from leaves into the atmosphere.  Water absorbed from the soil, flowing up stems, carries nutrients essential for plant growth. The sun is the driving force for transpiration.

The water of transpiration comes from the rainfall that has infiltrated the ground.  Therefor, transpiration is actually a result of water infiltration into the pore spaces of the soil. If that is to be considered as "what happens to rainfall", then a quite a lengthy list must be considered-such as water for household use, water for irrigation, water for factory use, etc.