Water Cycle Review
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Learning Objectives
- 1Name and describe the stages of the water cycle
- 2Explain how water moves between the atmosphere, land, and ocean
- 3Identify the processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection
Mini Lesson
The water cycle describes how water continuously moves through the environment. Water changes state and travels between the atmosphere, land, and ocean in a repeating loop.
The Main Stages
- Evaporation — heat from the sun turns liquid water into water vapor, which rises into the atmosphere.
- Condensation — water vapor cools as it rises and forms tiny water droplets that make up clouds.
- Precipitation — water falls from clouds as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
- Collection — water collects in oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater, then the cycle begins again.
Transpiration
- Transpiration — water released by plant leaves into the atmosphere also adds water vapor to the cycle.
- Plants absorb water from the soil through their roots and release it through tiny pores in their leaves.
Tip: remember the order — Evaporation (up) → Condensation (clouds form) → Precipitation (falls) → Collection (gathers) → repeat. The sun drives the whole cycle by providing the energy for evaporation.
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