The Water Cycle
The water on Earth is constantly moving in a repeating pattern between the surface of the Earth and the atmosphere. This process is called the water cycle, or hydrological cycle. This complex process is driven by the heat from the Sun which causes water on Earth to evaporate into the atmosphere, condense in clouds and fall back to the Earth’s surface as precipitation.
As a repeating pattern, the water cycles does not have a start or end point, but let’s look at the process in four stages.
Stage One:
The heat from the Sun causes the water in the ocean, lakes and rivers to evaporate into water vapor. Plants also release water vapor into the atmosphere through a process called transpiration.
Stage Two:
The water vapor cools as it rises. As it does, it condenses into water droplets and tiny ice crystals. These droplets combine together and also join with other particles in the air to form clouds.
Stage Three:
As more water droplets combine, they get larger and eventually fall back to Earth as precipitation in the form of rain, snow, hail or sleet.
Stage Four:
The water flows through streams and rivers and collects in groundwater, lakes and the ocean and the cycle repeats.
Related Printables.
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Comprehension – Earth’s Landforms
Local Land and Water Features
Modeling the Earth’s Features
The Ocean
Earth’s Fresh Water
Using Maps
Map Features
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Comprehension – Ocean Patterns
Observing Ocean Patterns
Review – Mapping the Earth’s Surface
Assessment Pack
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