Download The Water Cycle

THE WATER CYCLE
WHAT IS A CYCLE?
 The word cycle usually means circle. The water cycle is like a circle
because it has no beginning or end. There really is no new water on
Earth.
WHAT IS THE WATER
CYCLE?
 The water cycle greatly affects weather and living things.
 You might think that rain brings new water to Earth BUT there is
no new water on Earth.
 The water cycle is the movement of water between the ground
and the atmosphere.
QUESTIONS
 True or False: The word cycle usually means square.
 True or False: There is no new water on Earth.
 True or False: The water cycle greatly affects weather and living
things.
 True or False: The water cycle is the movement of water between
the ground and the atmosphere.
1 ST STEP
 The first step of the water cycle involves the sun. The sun heats
water on Earth and changes it from a liquid to a gas called water
vapor.
 The water vapor goes into the air. This is called evaporation.
• It is evaporation that dries a puddle in the sun after the rain.
THE SECOND STEP
 In the 2nd step of the cycle, water vapor in the air changes back to
a liquid. This happens when warm air holding water vapor gets cooler.
Its called condensation.
 The tiny water drops in the air are packed closer and closer
together until they start to join. Clouds are formed when thousands
of drops are so close together that you cannot see through them.
QUESTIONS
 The first step of the water cycle involves the ____________.
• Sun
moon
snow
 Condensation takes place when warm air holding water vapor gets
______________.
• Warmer
cooler
wet
 It is _____________ that dries a puddle in the sun.
• Evaporation
rain or snow
atmosphere
THE LAST STEP
 As clouds become cooler, the drops join together to make bigger
drops.
 Finally, they become heavy enough to fall back to Earth as rain or
snow.
QUESTIONS
 True or False: Clouds are formed when rain falls.
 In the third step of the water cycle, rain or snow______.
• Dries up
goes into clouds
falls back to Earth
 As clouds become cooler, drops join together to make _____.
• Smaller dropsbigger drops
vapor