THE WATER CYCLE the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth

Steps: Since the water cycle is just that, a cycle, it really has no official beginning; for our purpose we will start with the sun. The sun warms the water in the oceans. The water molecules evaporate meaning they change from liquid to vapor form and are carried into the atmosphere by air currents.

Evaporation

3. Rising air currents take the vapor up into the atmosphere along with water from evapotranspiration which is water transpired from plants and evaporated from the soil. 4. Cooler temperatures cause the vapor in the atmosphere to condense into clouds which means it changes from vapor state to water state and collects to form clouds

Condensation

5. Air currents move clouds around the globe, cloud particles collide, grow, and fall out of the sky as precipitation.

6. Water from precipitation is either accumulated in lakes, rivers, ground water and oceans or it runs off the surface of the Earth. Some precipitation can fall as snow and accumulate as ice caps and glaciers and be stored for thousands of years

7. The water that moves through the ground ends up in aquifers that store water. 8. Eventually all water molecules find their way back to the oceans where the process starts again

The Atmosphere – Energy Transfer and Properties Read pages 10-11 Copy the table 1.1 Components of Weather on page 11 into your notes. With a partner or small group (people you sit with) – complete #1-4 in the what to do section on page 11 Activity 1-1A Independently – answer questions #1-3 on page 11 Activity 1-1A