The Water Cycle Mr. Ramirez 6 th Grade Science

Earths Water 1 1 Earths surface is about 70 percent water. As the table shows, water exists as solid snow or ice in glaciers. In oceans, lakes and rivers water exists as a liquid and in the atmosphere it exists as gaseous vapor.

The Water Cycle The Atmosphere 1 1 Earths water is in constant motion in a never- ending process called the water cycle.

The Water Cycle 1 1 Water on Earths surfacein oceans, lakes, rivers, and streamsabsorbs energy and stores it as heat.

The Water Cycle 1 1 When water has enough heat energy, it changes from liquid water into water vapor in a process called evaporation.

The Water Cycle 1 1 Water vapor then enters the atmosphere. Evaporation occurs from all bodies of water, no matter how large or small.

The Water Cycle 1 1 Water also is transferred into the atmosphere from plant leaves in a process called transpiration.

The Water Cycle 1 1 Eventually, the water molecules change back into droplets of liquid water. This process is called condensation.

The Water Cycle 1 1 Eventually, these droplets become large enough to be visible, forming a cloud. If the water droplets continue to grow, they become too large to remain suspended in the atmosphere and fall to Earth as precipitation.