The Water Cycle: Notes Part One

The Water Cycle Energy from the sun keeps Earth’s water moving and changing. Water moves through living and non-living parts on earth, but the amount of water on Earth stays the same

The water cycle -The water cycle is the movement of water between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere. -The atmosphere is the mixture of gasses and dust that surrounds Earth.

The water cycle

The Water Cycle ~Water moves from the oceans and land into the air and back again. ~The water cycle has no beginning or end, but you can describe it having four main parts.

Part 1 ~The sun’s energy warms liquid water on Earth’s surface ~ Some of the liquid changes to a gas-this is called Evaporation, the process of changing a liquid into a gas. ~ Water Vapor (water in the form of a gas) now moves into the atmosphere.

Part 1 ~Plants pull water from ground through roots into stems and leaves. ~Plants release water vapor through tiny openings in leaves. ~This process is called Transpiration.

Part 2 ~ As water vapor rises it cools. ~ When it cools enough it turns back into a liquid. This is called Condensation (change from a gas to a liquid) ~Water droplets in the sky form clouds, on the ground it forms dew.