THE WATER CYCLE

WATER ON EARTH  Water is important because:  * Plants and animals need water to live.  * Without water, there could be no rain or snow.  Most water on Earth is salt water found in the oceans.

FRESH WATER  ONLY A LITTLE OF EARTH’S WATER IS FRESH WATER.  FRESH WATER IS FOUND:  AS ICE IN GLACIERS  RAIN OR SNOW  RIVERS, STREAMS, PONDS, LAKES  GROUNDWATER: FRESH WATER FOUND UNDER EARTH’S SURFACE

 Largest ocean on Earth – Pacific Ocean  Salt in salt water comes from WEATHERED rocks.  Ocean water has many resources: –Fish, ocean animals, plants used for food –Oil comes from wells under the ocean SALT WATER

WHERE FRESH WATER AND SALT WATER MEET  ESTUARY: A PLACE WHERE FRESH WATER FROM A RIVER MIXES WITH SALT WATER FROM THE OCEAN

THE WATER CYCLE FFFForm water takes depends upon the amount of HEAT or thermal energy in it. TTTThree form of water: LLLLIQUID – liquid water SSSSOLID – ICE GGGGAS – WATER VAPOR

EVAPORATION  Changing of a liquid into a gas  (water) (water vapor)  HEAT must be added to a liquid to make it evaporate.  EVAPORATION CHANGES LIQUID WATER INTO INVISIBLE GAS – WATER VAPOR.

CONDESATION  Condensation is the changing of a gas into a liquid.  Taking HEAT away from a gas or cooling it, changes the gas into a liquid.

PRECIPITATION  Precipitation is any water that falls to Earth as rain, snow, sleet or hail.

THE WATER CYCLE  THE MOVEMENT OF WATER FROM EARTH’S SURFACE INTO THE AIR AND BACK TO THE SURFACE AGAIN.  THIS CYCLE IS POWERED BY HEAT  FROM THE SUN.