water cycle

• Water cycle


  1. Evaporation from oceans

  2. Water vapor travels into air

  3. Water vapor condenses to form clouds

  4. Precipitation (rain, snow, hail, sleet)

  5. Water hits ground

  6. Some evaporates back into atmosphere

  7. Some passes through rocks to form aquifers

  8. Some forms rivers/streams

  9. Rivers/streams drain back into sea

  10. Plants take up water in roots, move it up xylem, release as water vapor (transpiration)

  11. Animals take in water through drinking and food, release water in urine and feces, and when exhaling
• Almost all water on Earth is found in the oceans, which is salt water
• Energy from the Sun causes water to evaporate from the surface of the sea
• Water vapor cools down and condenses to form clouds
• Precipitation (rain, snow, hail, sleet) contains fresh water, not salt water
• Some of the water that hits the ground evaporates back into the atmosphere as water vapor
• Some of the water passes through rocks and forms aquifers
• A lot of the water that hits the ground forms rivers or streams
• The water in rivers and streams eventually drains back into the sea
• Plants take up water in their roots, move it up the xylem, and release it as water vapor through their stomata (transpiration)
• Animals take in water through drinking and in their food, and release water in their urine, feces, and when they exhale