The Water Cycle

1
The Water Cycle
2
The Water Cycle

• Is the continuous movement of water from water
  sources, such as lakes and oceans, into the air,
  onto and over land, into the ground, and back to
  the water sources.

3
Evaporation

• Is the process by which liquid water changes from
  a liquid to gas (water vapor)
• Water cycles back to the atmosphere through
  evaporation.

4
Evaporation

• Occurs when radiant energy from the sun heats
  water, causing the water molecules to become so
  active that some of the them rise into the
  atmosphere as vapor.
• When the water vapor cools during condensation,
  it forms a liquid that can fall to the Earth as
  precipitation.

5
Condensation

• Is the process by which a substance changes from
  a gas (water vapor) to a liquid (water)
• Occurs when water vapor cools and changes into
  liquid water droplets that form clouds in the
  atmosphere

6
Condensation

• The process of water changing from a vapor to a
  liquid. Water vapor in the air rises mostly by
  convection. This means that warm, humid air will
  rise, while cooler air will flow downward. As
  the warmer air rises, the water vapor will lose
  energy, causing its temperature to drop. The
  water vapor then has a change of state into
  liquid or ice.

7
Condensation

• You can see condensation in action whenever you
  take a cold soda from the refrigerator and set it
  in a room.
• Notice how the outside of the soda can sweats?
• The water doesnt come from inside the can, it
  comes from the water vapor in the air.
• As the air cools around the can, water droplets
  form.

8
Precipitation

• Is any form of water coming from the atmosphere
  to the earth's surface in solid or liquid form
• Four major forms of precipitation rain, snow,
  sleet and hail
• Rain liquid precipitation
• Snow Sleet the most common form of solid
  precipitation
• Hail solid precipitation that falls as balls or
  lumps of ice, not as common

9
Precipitation

• Is water being released from clouds as rain,
  sleet, snow or hail.
• Precipitation begins after water vapor, which has
  condensed in the atmosphere, becomes too heavy to
  remain in atmospheric air currents and falls.
• Under some circumstances, precipitation actually
  evaporates before it reaches the surface.
• More often, though, it reaches the Earths
  surface, adding to the surface water in streams
  and lakes, or infiltrating the soil to become
  ground water.

10
Infiltration

• The process of water entering the ground,
  becoming ground water.
• A portion of the precipitation that reaches the
  Earths surface and seeps into the ground.
• The amount of water that infiltrates the soil
  varies with the degree of land slope, the amount
  of and type of vegetation, soil type and rock
  type, and whether the soil is already saturated
  by water.
• Water that doesnt infiltrate the soil, flows on
  the surface as runoff.

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Runoff

• Is water that flows across land and collects in
  rivers, streams, and eventually the ocean

12
Runoff

• Precipitation that reaches the surface of the
  Earth but does not infiltrate the soil is called
  runoff.
• Runoff can also come from melted snow and ice.
• When there is a lot of precipitation, soils
  becomes saturated with water. Additional
  rainfall can no longer enter it. Runoff with
  eventually drain into creeks, streams, and
  rivers, adding a large amount of water to the
  flow. Surface water always travels towards the
  lowest point possible, usually the oceans.

13
Transpiration

• The process in which some water within plants
  evaporates into the atmosphere.
• Water is first absorbed by the plants roots,
  then later exits by evaporating through pores in
  the plant.

14
Transpiration

• Occurs when plants take in water through the
  roots and release it through the leaves, a
  process that can clean water by removing
  contaminants and pollution.

15

• As you can see, many processes are at work to
  give you the water you need.
• And these processes are always at work.
• Just because Antarctica is frozen doesnt mean
  that evaporation is not taking place (ice can
  turn into water vapor).
• And because the Sahara Desert is so dry doesnt
  mean that precipitation is not happening (it
  evaporates before it makes it to the ground).
• So, the water you drink today could have been
  around when dinosaurs roamed the Earth!

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Test Yourself!
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1. Water enters the ground by what process?

• Permutation
• Sublimation
• Transpiration
• Infiltration

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2. When condensation occurs, water changes from
_______.

• a solid to a liquid.
• a liquid to a vapor.
• a vapor to a liquid.
• a solid to a vapor.

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3. Surface water travels ____.

• Toward the lowest point possible.
• Toward the highest point possible.
• Toward both the highest and lowest points.
• None of the above.

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4. When water ____ it is called snow and / or
rain.

• Condenses
• Precipitates
• Pontificates
• Subjugates

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5. Water droplets form on the outside of a cold
soda can because ______.

• The can sweats water.
• Static electricity attracts water to the can.
• Sonic vibrations shake the water from the inside
  of the can to the outside.
• None of the above.

22
6. Plants lose water through what process?

• Transpiration
• Condensation
• Precipitation
• Evaporation

23
7. Runoff occurs when _____.

• The soil cannot hold anymore water.
• Water enters the ground.
• Water vapor cools to a liquid form.
• None of the above.

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8. Lakes, streams, and oceans are examples of
____.

• Groundwater
• Surface water
• Undrinkable water
• Boiling water

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Definitions to The Water Cycle

• Accumulation water pools in large bodies
• Condensation water vapor turning into liquid
  water (gas to liquid)
• Evaporation water liquid turning into water
  vapor (liquid to gas)
• Ground water water that seeps into ground
• Precipitation rain, snow, sleet, or hail
• Runoff water not sinking into ground
• Transpiration water evaporating from plants

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Condensation
Condensation
Precipitation
Transpiration
Evaporation
Runoff
Groundwater
Accumulation

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Study Guide

• Identify the detailed features of the water
  cycle.
• Know the following terms
• Evaporation
• Condensation
• Precipitation
• Runoff
• Transpiration
• The Water Cycle
• Ground water
• Infiltration
• The information given in the notes, pertaining to
  The Water Cycle.