The water cycle

Question 1

What is the water cycle?

Answer 1

The water cycle is the continuous movement of water on, above, or below the surface of the Earth

Question 2

Precipitation

Answer 2

Condensed water vapour that falls

Question 3

Evaporation

Answer 3

Liquid to gas as it moves into the atmosphere

Question 4

Transpiration

Answer 4

Loss of water vapour from leaves into the air

Question 5

Evapotranspiration

Answer 5

Some of evaporation and transpiration

Question 6

Advection

Answer 6

Movement of water in any state through the atmosphere

Question 7

Condensation

Answer 7

Transformation of water vapour to a liquid

Question 8

Percolation

Answer 8

Water flows horizontally through the soil due to gravity

Question 9

Sublimation

Answer 9

Solid to gas

Question 10

Deposition

Answer 10

Gas to solid

Question 11

Infiltration

Answer 11

Flow of water from ground surface into ground

Question 12

Run off

Answer 12

Different ways in which water moves across land

Question 13

Why is the water cycle so important?

Answer 13

-Maintains habitats, polar bears live on ice, frogs need water to reproduce, fish only survive in water
-Essential component of all living organisms
- Maintains freshwater flow and transports nutrients to different parts of ecosystems 

Question 14

What happens during the water cycle?

Answer 14

-Water moves from one reservoir to another in the forms of solid, liquid or gas
-It involves exchange of heat, which leads to temperature changes
-Evaporation takes up energy and cools the environment 
-Condensation releases, energy and heats the environment
-These heat changes influence climate 

Question 15

Human activities that can affect the water cycle

Answer 15

• Agriculture
  -Construction of dams
  -Deforestation and aforestation 

Question 16

Aquifers

Answer 16

Freshwater running underground

Question 17

What is the water cycle driven by?

Answer 17

The Sun

Question 18

Where is the majority of the earths freshwater stored?

Answer 18

Polar ice caps, snowpacks, glaciers

Question 19

Why is water on Earth unique – how is it different to other planets?

Answer 19

It is stored in three states in this planet e.g. solid, liquid, gas

Question 20

What three things influence the rate of evaporation on the oceans surface?

Answer 20

-Sea surface temperature
-Air temperature
-Surface winds


Question 21

What increases the rate of evaporation?

Answer 21

-High winds
-High surface temperature
-High air temperature 

Question 22

How are clouds formed?

Answer 22

As water vapour cools and condenses into water droplets, they form clouds

Question 23

What does the availability of water affect?

Answer 23

-The type and abundance of vegetation, the primary source of food for animals and humans
-Flood risk, availability of nutrients