The Sun and The Water Cycle

Grades 3-5

Star

A ball of gas in space

Sun

Star at the center of the solar system that supplies heat and light to Earth

Powers the water cycle!

Cycle

A set of events that repeat itself over time

Continuous

Never stopping

Ocean

Large body of saltwater that covers 75% of Earth

Water Cycle

Changes to water when it evaporates into the air, condenses into clouds, and then precipitates back down to Earth.

Evaporation

Physical change in matter from liquid to a gas

Condensation

Physical change in matter from gas to a liquid

Moisture in the air cools and condenses and forms clouds

Precipitation

Rain, snow, sleet, hail that falls from clouds in the sky

Transpiration

Water evaporates from leaves of plants

Run Off

When precipitation falls, water runs off mountains, hills, and down valleys

Groundwater

Precipitation that falls back onto the land.

Accumulation

Precipitation that accumulates back into the ocean, rivers, lakes, and streams.

Most of the water that evaporates into the sky is saltwater. Why doesn’t

it rain saltwater? Let’s set up an experiment to test our question.