Water Cycle

Question 1

What is the water cycle?

Answer 1

The cycling of water through the lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. It is also driven by solar energy

Question 2

Transpiration

Answer 2

Water is absorbed by plants through roots,
The water travels up the stem of the plant to the leaves, and then the water is released into the atmosphere through stomata

Question 3

Condensation

Answer 3

Cooling of water vapor (gas) in atmosphere. Water vapor condenses into water droplets (liquid) - forming clouds

Question 4

Precipitation

Answer 4

Water drops formed by condensation fall to earth, it can fall as rain, snow or hail

Question 5

Surface run-off

Answer 5

The movement of water over the land and surface. Runoff ends in streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Transports sediment, nutrients, and pollutants to other areas

Question 6

Infiltration

Answer 6

Precipitation that falls onto land can soak into the soil, refilling groundwater sources

Question 7

Ground Water Flow

Answer 7

Water that infiltrates into the soil becomes groundwater, which slowly moves through underground aquifers

Question 8

Evaporation

Answer 8

The sun heats bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, and rivers and
causes water to change from liquid to water vapor (gas) and rise into the atmosphere

Question 9

Freezing

Answer 9

Freezing convers water from the liquid state to the solid state, it acts as water storage, and then water is removed from the cycle until melted

Question 10

Melting

Answer 10

Converts ice and snow back into liquid water.
After melting, snow and ice refills rivers, lakes, and oceans

Question 11

Sublimation

Answer 11

Transforms a solid straight into a gas (skips liquid phase) Ice –> water vapor

Question 12

Deposition

Answer 12

Transforms water vapor (gas) to ice (solid) - skips liquid phase. Forms ice, snow and glaciers

Question 13

Percolation

Answer 13

The movement of water through soil and rock