THE WATER CYCLE Living on Planet Earth © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle Freshwater is found on the land masses of the Earth. Water in its purest form is the combination of two gasses -- hydrogen and oxygen. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle The difference between freshwater and marine (salt water) is the amount of minerals clinging to these water molecules. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle Amazingly only 3% of the water on Earth is found in our rivers, streams, lakes, ponds or wetlands. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle Freshwater is produced in a cycle that moves water molecules from the oceans to the land and back to the oceans. It can be a vapor, a liquid or a solid. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle If most of the water on the planet is found in the seas and has a high concentration of minerals called salts, from where does freshwater originate? © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle Most of it comes from marine water that has been warmed by the sun. The heat of solar radiation causes water molecules to evaporate, that is, change from a liquid to a gas. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle The heavier salts found in marine water are unable to cling to the rising water vapor and are left behind. This is the beginning of the hydrological cycle where water vapors gather and form clouds. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle Solar radiation warms Earth and its atmosphere. As cold air and warm air meet they create winds. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle The winds carry the clouds over land -- some for great distances and at great heights. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle When the vaporized water molecules are chilled they condense and return to their heavier liquid state. Gravity pulls the water droplets toward the Earth where they will either warm and vaporize once again or fall on land as fog, rain or snow. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle Water in its liquid or solid state has a great influence on the geology of the Earth. Too much of it in one place creates lakes. Lakes, unable to hold all of the water spill out to form rivers. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle Gravity pulls water from the highest mountain peaks to lower land eventually reaching the seas. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle Having travelled from mountain peaks, through waterways and soils, freshwater transports trace minerals that when mixed into the marine water are called sea salts. © 2012 abcteach.com
The Water Cycle As water travels and changes from vapor, to liquid, to solid forms it both alters the terrain and nurtures life on land. © 2012 abcteach.com
THE WATER CYCLE Living on Planet Earth Go to Image © 2012 abcteach.com