Which of the following components is NOT part of the water cycle?

Photosynthesis is not a component of the water cycle. The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, involves processes that circulate water throughout the Earth's systems. Key components of the water cycle include evaporation, where water is converted from liquid to vapor, condensation, which occurs when water vapor cools and forms clouds, and precipitation, when water falls back to the Earth's surface in various forms such as rain or snow.

While photosynthesis is an important biological process that involves the use of water, it primarily pertains to how plants convert carbon dioxide and sunlight into glucose and oxygen, rather than to the movement and storage of water in the environment. Hence, it falls outside the scope of the water cycle.