The Water Cycle Liz Whitman Jessica Zavodnik

The Water Cycle The water cycles is a process that is constantly recycling the Earth’s supply of water The water cycles is a process that is constantly recycling the Earth’s supply of water It is important because humans, animals and plants all need water to survive It is important because humans, animals and plants all need water to survive There are three major steps to the water cycle There are three major steps to the water cycle

Step One - Evaporation The water cycle is controlled by the Sun, which produces energy in the form of heat The water cycle is controlled by the Sun, which produces energy in the form of heat The heat energy causes the water in oceans, lakes, puddles, etc. to evaporate The heat energy causes the water in oceans, lakes, puddles, etc. to evaporate The water now changes from a liquid to a gas, and is now called water vapor The water now changes from a liquid to a gas, and is now called water vapor This process is called evaporation This process is called evaporation

Step Two - Condensation When the water evaporates it rises into the cooler air, collects and forms clouds When the water evaporates it rises into the cooler air, collects and forms clouds Here the water vapor molecules cool down and change back into liquid water Here the water vapor molecules cool down and change back into liquid water This process is condensation This process is condensation

Step Three - Precipitation As more water vapor cools into the clouds, the water droplets that form the clouds become larger and larger As more water vapor cools into the clouds, the water droplets that form the clouds become larger and larger Finally, they get so big that the wind in the atmosphere cannot hold them up, and the droplets fall from the sky Finally, they get so big that the wind in the atmosphere cannot hold them up, and the droplets fall from the sky This is called precipitation This is called precipitation –It can come down as rain, snow, sleet or hail

What happens after precipitation? After it precipitates, the water runs off into lakes, rivers, streams or other bodies of water After it precipitates, the water runs off into lakes, rivers, streams or other bodies of water Then the cycle starts all over again and constantly repeats itself Then the cycle starts all over again and constantly repeats itself