ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Cyclic process

A cyclic process is like playing with a toy train set that goes in a loop. You know how the train starts at the station, goes through the mountains and valleys, and then comes back to the station again? That's a cyclic process!

In science, a cyclic process is when something happens over and over again in a loop. Let's think about a bicycle tire. When you ride your bike, the tire goes around and around in a circle. That's a cyclic process!

Another example of a cyclic process is the water cycle. Water turns into vapor when it gets hot, rises up into the sky, and turns back into water when it cools down in the clouds. Then it falls back down to the ground as rain, and the whole process starts over again. Like driving your toy train set in a loop, the water cycle repeats itself over and over.

So, a cyclic process is when something happens in a repeating loop, just like when you play with your toy train set or ride your bike. It's like going on a circle ride at an amusement park - you keep going around and around until you stop!
Related topics others have asked about: