THE WATER CYCLE

Water moves from the oceans to the atmosphere, from the

atmosphere to the land, and from the land back to the oceans.

Evaporation

The energy of the sun causes water in lakes, ponds, rivers and

oceans to change from liquid water to water vapor in a process

called evaporation

Transpiration

Plants lose water to the air in a process called transpiration.

Condensation

Water vapor changes from a gas to a liquid in a process called

condensation. When water vapor condenses on dust particles in the

air, clouds form.

Precipitation

Precipitation (rain, snow etc) returns the water to Earth’s

surface. Water vapor does not contain any minerals, so

precipitation is fresh water.

Groundwater

Some precipitation soaks into the ground. Groundwater is absorbed by the

roots of plants and is used by animals that live in the soil. Some water flows

underground until it reaches the ocean or another body of water.

Runoff

Some precipitation flows along the surface of the land as ‘runoff’. In time, it

reaches the ocean or other bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers , and

streams where it is used by human beings, animals and plants.

EvaporationTranspirationCondensationPrecipitationGroundwaterRunoff