Download The Water Cycle

The Water Cycle
Essential Question:________How does water move through the water cycle?
What is the Water Cycle?
Water _never_ leaves the Earth. It is constantly being ___cycled____ through the
atmosphere___, ocean, and __land___. This process, known as the water cycle, is
driven by __energy_____ from the sun. The water cycle is crucial__ to the existence of
life on our planet.
Evaporation
During part of the water cycle, the sun __heats___ up liquid water and changes it to a
__gas_____ by the process of evaporation__. Water that evaporates from Earth’s
oceans, lakes, rivers, and moist soil rises up__ into the atmosphere.
Transpiration
The process of __evaporation__ of water from ___plants___ is called transpiration.
(In other words, it’s like plants sweating.)
Condensation
As ___water___ (in the form of_gas__) rises higher in the atmosphere, it starts to cool
and become a _____liquid____ again. This process is called condensation. When a
__large___ amount of water vapor condenses, it results in the formation of
__clouds_____.
Precipitation
When the water in the ___clouds___ gets too heavy, the water ___falls___ back to the
earth in the form of ____rain, sleet, hail, or snow__. This is called precipitation.
Runoff
When ___rain___ falls on the land, some of the water is __absorbed_____ into the
ground forming pockets of water called ____groundwater______. Most groundwater
eventually ___returns___ to the ocean. Other precipitation runs directly into streams or
rivers. Water that __collects__ in rivers, streams, and oceans is called runoff.
Percolation
Percolation is the ___downward____ movement of water through ___pores______ and
other spaces in soil due to gravity.