The water cycle

• Water is a key compound for life on Earth
• All living organisms need water
• Some organisms can survive in a dormant state without water for long periods, but all organisms will eventually die without it
• The water cycle is the continuous movement of water on, above and below the Earth
• Key processes in the water cycle:

  • Evaporation: Water turns from a liquid to a gas when it evaporates due to energy from the Sun
  • Condensation: After evaporation, water can cool and convert from gas to liquid, often forming clouds
  • Transport: Water within clouds can be blown many miles by strong winds to other areas
  • Precipitation: Rain, snow, hail, and sleet fall from the sky
  • Surface runoff: Water can run along the surface of the ground if a large volume falls or the ground is wet
• • Infiltration: Water from precipitation is absorbed into the ground and stored in underground rocks called aquifers
  • Transpiration: Plants allow some water to evaporate as water vapor from their leaves to maintain a constant stream of water to their leaves
• Water is a key compound for life on Earth
• All living organisms need water
• Some organisms can survive in a dormant state without water for long periods, but all organisms will eventually die without it
• The water cycle is the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth
• • Infiltration: Water from precipitation is absorbed into the ground and stored in underground rocks called aquifers
  • Transpiration: Plants allow some water to evaporate as water vapor from their leaves to maintain a constant stream of water to their leaves for transport and support
• Key processes in the water cycle:

  • Evaporation: Water turns from a liquid to a gas when it evaporates due to energy from the Sun. It can happen from various surfaces like puddles, ponds, lakes, and oceans
  • Condensation: After evaporation, water can cool and convert from gas to liquid, often forming clouds
  • Transport: Water within clouds can be blown many miles by strong winds to other areas
  • Precipitation: Rain, snow, hail, and sleet fall from the sky
  • Surface runoff: Water can run along the surface of the ground if the ground is already wet or if a large volume of water falls