The Hydrosphere & Water Cycle Section 3.3 continued

Hydrosphere Includes all of the water on or near the earth’s surface: oceans, lakes rivers, wetlands, polar ice caps, and clouds Part of the biosphere Water continually cycles throughout the hydrosphere All living things need water for survival

The Water Cycle Water continuously moves between the oceans, the atmosphere, and land—sometimes outside of living organisms and sometimes inside of them

Water is crucial to life on our planet. The average human body is made up of about 70% water. Water is used in just about every chemical process that goes on in an animal’s body.

Parts of the Water Cycle Evaporation- water goes from a liquid to a gas Transpiration-plants release excess water from their pores (biological process) Precipitation- water leaves the atmosphere (the clouds) in the form of rain, ice, sleet, snow Condensation- water goes from a gas to a liquid (clouds form) Runoff- excess water drains down mountains, valleys, etc… into water sources (lakes, oceans, rivers) Percolation- water seeps into the ground

Oceans The world ocean covers a little over 70% of the Earth’s surface It plays a crucial role in regulating the planet’s environment Temperature regulator- absorbs and stores the energy from the sun Absorbs ½ of the solar radiation that reaches Earth’s surface