The Water Cycle

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/graphics/watercyclesummary.jpg

What is the Water Cycle?

Controls the distribution of Earth’s water

Circulates through four spheres of Earth

Has no starting point

Earth’s water is always in movement

Water is always changing states

Parts of the Water Cycle

Evaporation Transpiration Condensation Cloud Formation Precipitation

Infiltration Surface Runoff Groundwater Absorption

Evaporation

Change from liquid to gas (vapor)

Includes vaporization from: Water surfaces Land surfaces Snow fields

Not vaporization from leaf surfaces

http://www.kidzone.ws/water/

Team Time

Draw the process of evaporation.

Transpiration

Water absorbed by plants is evaporated

Water is absorbed through roots

Evaporated from the plant surface (leaves)

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/pictures/wctranspirationleafsoil.jpg

Condensation

Change from gas to liquid

Opposite of evaporation

Example of condensation: Cold glass, hot day

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/215/521585824_54ed44d010_m.jpg

Team Time

Draw the process of condensation.

Cloud Formation

Water vapor joining with dust particles

All clouds contain water vapors

Rarely see clouds in the desert http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/pictures/

wcclouds.jpg

Precipitation

Any water falling to Earth’s surface

Examples: Rain Snow Sleet Hail Dew Frost

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4872194918_3a1de0ba90_m.jpg

Team Time

Draw the process of precipitation.

Infiltration

Ground water soaking into the soil

From the soil: Soaked up by roots Becomes ground water

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/pictures/wcinfiltration.jpg

Surface Runoff

Precipitation runoff over the landscape

Occurs when: Water falling on

ground > infiltration rate

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/pictures/wcrunoff.jpg

Groundwater

Water located below the ground’s surface

Consider this: Digging in sand close

to ocean Water that appears is

groundwater http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/pictures/wcgwstoragebeachlores.jpg

Absorption

Roots removing water from soil

Example: Sponge and water

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3542/3282843423_5ed72e45ac_m.jpg

Team Time

Label the following:

Evaporation Transpiration Condensation Cloud Formation Precipitation Infiltration Surface Runoff Groundwater Absorption

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/graphics/watercycleprintnotext.jpg

Evaporation

Transpiration

Condensation

Cloud Formation

Precipitation

Infiltration

Surface Runoff

Groundwater

Absorption