Transcript Water Cycle and Weather - Effingham County Schools

Water Cycle and Weather
Georgia Performance Standards
S4E3 Students will differentiate between the states of water
and how they relate to the water cycle and weather.
a. demonstrate how water changes states from solid
(ice) to liquid (water) to gas (water vapor/steam) and
changes from gas to liquid to solid.
b. identify the temperatures at which water becomes a
solid and at which water becomes a gas.
c. investigate how clouds are formed.
d. explain the water cycle (evaporation, condensation,
and precipitation).
e. investigate different forms of precipitation and sky
conditions. (rain, snow, sleet, hail, clouds, and fog)
Essential Questions
• What form does water take on our earth?
• How does water change from a solid to a liquid to a gas?
• How does water change from a gas to a liquid to a solid?
• How are clouds formed?
• What is the water cycle?
• What are forms of precipitation?
• Do we drink the same water that was on earth a million years ago?
• Earth’s water exists in three states: liquid
water, solid ice, and a gas that we call
water vapor.
Water Cycle
• Water changes states in a process known
as the water cycle.
• Liquid water gathers in oceans, seas, and
rivers, and it falls as rain.
• Ice is water in its solid state. Ice forms
when heat is removed from the liquid
water. When temperatures fall below 32◦ F
(0◦C), liquid water will freeze and becomes
ice.
• Water can also take the form of a gas.
Water in the gas state is called water
vapor. Water vapor is part of the air, but
you cannot see it. It forms when HEAT is
added to the liquid water.
• When liquid water’s temperature is raised
to 212◦F (100◦C), you can observe water
vapor.
• Liquid water can also become water vapor
(gas) at lower temperatures. This happens
in a process called EVAPORATION.
• Evaporation is when the surface of the
water slowly changes into a gas. The Sun
causes evaporation of water.
• When the water vapor (gas) evaporates
and meets cold air as it rises into the air, it
forms tiny water droplets. The droplets
formed by CONDENSATION.
• This is how clouds are formed
The water cycle
• The water on Earth changes from one form to
another over and over again as it goes through
the water cycle.
• The WATER CYCLE is the movement of water
into the air as water vapor and back to the
Earth’s surface as precipitation.
• Precipitation is any form of water that falls from
the clouds to the Earth’s surface.
• The water in our oceans, lakes, and rivers
evaporates and becomes water vapor.
• As the water vapor rises in the air, it cools and
condenses into water droplets.
• These droplets form clouds. The drops become
heavier as more water vapor condenses. When
they are too heavy, they fall to the Earth as
precipitation.
• The water cycle cleans the Earth’s water supply.
Types of clouds
• Clouds form when water vapor in the air
condenses.
• A cloud that forms close to the ground is
called FOG.
STRATUS clouds
• Stratus clouds are low-level clouds that
form in layers. This type of cloud usually
brings steady rain.
CUMULUS clouds
• Cumulus clouds are fluffy and have flat
bases (bottoms). They form low in the sky
and usually mean fair weather.
CIRRUS clouds
• Cirrus clouds are thin, feathery clouds
made of ice crystals. They form high in the
sky and also indicate fair weather.
CUMULONIMBUS clouds
• Cumulonimbus clouds bring thunderstorms.
PRECIPITATION
Precipitation is any form of water that falls
from clouds to the Earth.
Rain, snow, sleet, and hail are the most
common forms of precipitation.
Rain
• Rain is the MOST common form of
precipitation.
Sleet
• Sleet is rain that freezes as it falls. If the
temperature near the Earth’s surface is
below freezing, rain will turn to ice before it
hits the ground.
Snow
• Snow falls when the temperature in a
cloud is below freezing. Water vapor in the
cloud forms ice crystals known as
snowflakes.
Hail
• Hail forms when the drops of rain freeze
and strong winds carry them higher into
the cloud. As hailstorms fall again, more
ice forms on them and they become larger.
When they are too heavy, they will fall to
the Earth.
Essential Questions
• What form does water take on our earth?
• How does water change from a solid to a liquid to a gas?
• How does water change from a gas to a liquid to a solid?
• How are clouds formed?
• What is the water cycle?
• What are forms of precipitation?
• Do we drink the same water that was on earth a million years ago?