Precipitation, Evaporation, Transpiration, Condensation The Water Cycle Precipitation, Evaporation, Transpiration, Condensation

Vocabulary atmosphere hydrosphere precipitation evaporation transpiration condensation percolation dew point

97 % of Earth’s water is salt water found in the oceans and seas. This leaves us with 3% of Earth water that is fresh water that we can use. 1% is in the and the other 2 % of Earth water is frozen in lakes and rivers glaciers. Since water makes-up the ¾ of the Earth’s surface it is very important to learn more about it. To learn more we must learn about the water cycle.

Earth’s water is always in one of the three states of matter. When water’s temperature is at or below 0 degrees Celsius it becomes a solid, called ice. When the water’s temperature is 100 degrees Celsius or above it becomes a gas, called water vapor. When the water’s temperature is in between 0 degrees Celsius and 100 degrees Celsius it is a liquid.

The Hydrologic Cycle “A.K.A. The Water Cycle”

Precipitation Precipitation is any form of water that falls from the sky, such as rain, hail, snow, or sleet.

What is evaporation? Where does the water come from? Evaporation is the process of changing liquid water into water vapors. The Sun’s energy creates the change by heating-up the water particles. The higher the temperature, the faster the water changes from a liquid to a gas. Where does the water come from? The water is stored in lakes, ponds, puddles, oceans, glaciers, marshes, soil and spaces in rocks. Some water also comes from green plants, especially their leaves, this process is called transpiration. Transpiration helps cool the plants down, just like when we sweat our body is cooling us down. Watch Movie

Condensation is the process in which water vapor becomes liquid water, the point at which it begins is called the dew point. During the evaporation process the water vapors begin to cool as they rise, therefore the particles are slowing down. What is condensation? What makes a cloud? A cloud is made of tiny drops of water or ice crystals. The droplets combine to form clouds. The drops of water collect until they so heavy that gravity pulls them down as rain also know as precipitation.

Percolation Percolation is the movement of water through the soil. The prime moving force of groundwater is gravity. Watch Movie

Where does the water go? Infiltration happens when precipitation is absorbed into the ground Runoff happens when too much precipitation falls too quickly and it “runs” over the ground In both cases the sun can warm it and it can evaporate to take part of the Water Cycle (Hydrologic Cycle) Watch Movie WATER CYCLE