The Water CycleBy: Amelia Leveille

Diagram of the water cycle

Facts about the water cycle

• The chemical symbol for water is H2O

• The sun is the driving force of the water cycle

• Only 3% of water on earth is freshwater

• When ever water changes from one state to another and moves from one place to another, it either gives off or absorbs energy

Runoff/Collection

EvaporationCondensation

Precipitation

Note: If precipitation is absorbed by a plant, then it goes through transpiration (releasing water from its leaves) rather than evaporation

Words to know

Water cycle - the continual movement of water among Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and land surface through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation

Evaporation - the process by which molecules at the surface of a liquid absorb enough energy to change to a gas

Condensation - the change in state from a gas to a liquid

Precipitation - any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches earth's surface as rain, snow, sleet, or hail

Transpiration - the process through which water is lost through a plant's leaves

Runoff - water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground

Ready for some questions?

Question #1

o Which step of the water cycle turns water vapor into clouds?

Correct!

Water Vapor Condensation Clouds

Question #2

o What happens after a plant absorbs water?

Correct!

o Transpiration - the process through which water is lost through a plant's leaves

Question #3

o How much of earth’s water is freshwater?

Correct!

o Only 3% of earth’s water is freshwater

Saltwater Freshwater

Question #4

o What is the chemical symbol for water?

Correct!

H2O

Question #5

o Where does the energy that powers the water cycle come from?

Correct!

o Energy from the sun powers the water cycle!

Now time for some bonus questions…

Bonus #1

o What does H2O mean?

Correct!

o H2O means 2 atoms of hydrogen and 1 atom of oxygen

Bonus #2

o In 20 minutes, one thunderstorm can send down over _____ gallons of water.

a) 14,300

b) 500,000

c) 3,400,000

d) 125,000,000

Correct!

125 million

gallons of water

Congratulations!I hope you learned a lot about the water cycle!