Transcript The Water Cycle

The Water
Cycle
Earth’s Water Cycle
• A cycle is a process with no beginning or end. It
repeats over and over.
• Matter moves and changes through cycles,
driven by energy (the ability to make things
move or change).
• The sun’s energy is the driving force behind most
cycles on Earth, including the water cycle.
• The Water Cycle is the movement of water
between the Earth’s surface and the atmosphere
(mixture of gases and dust surrounding Earth.
The Water Cycle
The water cycle includes evaporation, transpiration,
condensation, and precipitation. Click the picture
below for a preview.
Evaporation
• Evaporation is the change from a liquid to a
gas.
• During evaporation, the sun’s energy heats
liquid water, changing it to water vapor
(water in the form of gas). This vapor rises
into the air.
Transpiration
• Transpiration is the release of water vapor
into the air by plants.
• Plants release water through openings in their
leaves which is heated by the sun and turned
into water vapor.
Condensation
• Condensation is the change of water from a
gas to a liquid. To condense is to change from
a gas to a liquid.
• Water vapor is condensed into tiny droplets of
liquid water. The droplets form clouds.
Condensation = GAS to LIQUID
Precipitation
• Precipitation is water that falls from the
atmosphere.
• Precipitation occurs when the water droplets
in the clouds become too heavy and fall in the
form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail.
Runoff
• Runoff is water that flows
over the surface of the
land.
• After precipitation, water
soaks into the soil and
collects as groundwater.
Groundwater is pulled
back up by plants and
people and gravity pulls
water downhill as runoff.
This water evaporates and
the cycle continues.
The Sun and the Ocean
• The Sun and the Ocean are extremely
important to the water cycle.
• The Sun’s energy drives the entire water cycle.
Since nearly 97% of the Earth’s water is found
in the oceans and seas, the ocean supplies
much of the water in the water cycle.
Let’s Review
• Click the pictures below to review.