Water Cycle

• Science
• 2nd,3rd Grade

The Water Cycle

The Water Cycle

Evaporation

When liquid water heats up, its molecules move faster, and some of the molecules near the surface break away and become a gas (water vapor) which rises in the air.

Ex: a puddle drying up or steam from a boiling pot of water

Condensation

When water vapor (water as a gas) cools, the molecules slow down, condense (come together), and form liquid which are shown as clouds in the water cycle.

Ex: a cloud or drops on a cold beverage bottle

Precipitation

When the liquid water molecules become dense and heavy enough, they fall from the clouds and to the ground in the form of rain, snow, sleet, etc.

Ex: a spring rain or a winter snow

Collection

When the precipitation falls, it has to go somewhere, so many times the water is directed to rivers, lakes, oceans, and/or groundwater.

Ex: snow-melt runoff flowing into a stream or rain falling into the ocean.

And then it restarts!

Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Collection, Repeat.

Puddle water heats and turns to vapor, vapor cools and forms clouds, liquid water gets dense enough and falls as rain, rain falls into the ocean.

00:15

Rain is an example of what?

1. Condensation
2. Evaporation
3. Collection
4. Precipitation

00:45

Through what stage of the water cycle will the puddles disappear?

1. Precipitation
2. Collection
3. Evaporation
4. Condensation

01:12

When the rain water falls into the rivers and soaks into the ground, which water cycle phase is it?

1. Collection
2. Condensation
3. Precipitation
4. Evaporation

01:12

What is water vapor?

02:32

Clouds are an example of what phase of the water cycle?

1. Precipitation
2. Condensation
3. Evaporation
4. Collection

Evaporation

Condensation

Precipitation

Collection

Which stage of the water cycle is...

A cloud?

1. Evaporation
2. Condensation
3. Precipitation
4. Collection

Melted snow that is directed to a river?

1. Evaporation
2. Condensation
3. Precipitation
4. Collection

A puddle disappearing on a sunny day?

1. Evaporation
2. Condensation
3. Precipitation
4. Collection

Hail?

1. Evaporation
2. Condensation
3. Precipitation
4. Collection

BONUS QUESTION!
What is the evaporation of water in plants?

1. transpiration
2. sublimation
3. perspiration
4. runoff

Remember...

We see the water cycle on a daily basis, whether it is the pond in our backyard, a cloud in the sky, a puddle drying up on a sidewalk, or a snowstorm that causes a snow day. Water is always in movement, and it always cycles back around.