In the water cycle, water evaporates from bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and oceans due to the heat from the sun. This process converts liquid water into water vapor, which then rises into the atmosphere. Once in the atmosphere, the water vapor cools and condenses to form clouds. Eventually, the condensed water droplets in the clouds combine and fall back to the Earth's surface as precipitation, which can be in the form of rain, snow, or ice. Therefore, vapor is the correct answer as it is the form in which water rises in the water cycle.