WATER CYCLE
What is water cycle?
WATER CYCLE
We use water everyday and it is one of
our everyday necessities. Water covers
70% of the earth’s surface. However,
humans are not the only ones who need
water. Water is distributed throughout
the whole world.
WATER CYCLE
The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle or
the hydrological cycle, describes the continuous
movement of water on, above and below the surface of the
Earth
The water cycle describes how water evaporates from the
surface of the earth, rises into the atmosphere, cools
and condenses into rain or snow in clouds, and falls
again to the surface as precipitation.
The cycling of water in and out of the atmosphere is a
significant aspect of the weather patterns on Earth.
WATER CYCLE
This is how a water cycle works:
1. The cycle starts when water on the surface of the
Earth evaporates
2. Then, water collects as water vapor in the sky.
3. Next, the water in the clouds gets cold.
4. Then, the water falls from the sky as rain, snow,
sleet or hail. .
5. The water sinks into the surface and also collects
into lakes, oceans, or aquifer
THERE ARE 7 STEPS IN THE PROCESS OF WATER
CYCLE
These are the following:
STEP 1: EVAPORATION
The water cycle starts with evaporation. It is a process
where water absorbs heat energy from the sun and turns into
water vapors. Water bodies like the ocean, the seas, the
lakes and the rivers are the main source of evaporation. In
this process, water also moves from the hydrosphere to the
atmosphere. As the water evaporates, it reduces the
temperature of the bodies.
STEP 2: CONDENSATION
As water vaporizes into water vapor, it rises up in the
atmosphere. At high altitudes the water vapors changes into
very tiny particles of ice/water droplets because the
temperature at high altitudes is low. This process is called
condensation. These particles come close together and form
clouds and fogs in the sky.
STEP 3: SUBLIMATION
Apart from evaporation, sublimation also contributes to water
vapors in the air. Sublimation is a process where ice
directly converts into water vapors without converting into
liquid water. This phenomenon accelerates when the
temperature is low or pressure is high. The main sources of
water from sublimation are the ice sheets of the North Pole
and the South Pole and the ice caps on the mountains .
Sublimation is rather slower process than evaporation.
STEP 4: PRECIPITATION
The clouds (condensed water vapors) then pour it down as
precipitation due to wind or temperature change. This occurs
because the water droplets combine to make bigger droplets.
Also when the air cannot hold any more water, it
precipitates. At high altitudes the temperature is low and
hence the droplets lose their heat energy. These water
droplets fall down as Rain. If the temperature is very low,
(below 0 degrees), the water droplets fall as snow. Water
also precipices in the form of drizzle, sleet and hail. Hence
water enters the lithosphere.
STEP 5: TRANSPIRATION
As water precipitates, some of it are absorbed by the soil.
This water enters to the process of transpiration.
Transpiration is a process similar to evaporation where
liquid water is turned into water vapor by plants. The roots
of the plants absorb the water and push it towards leaves
where it is used for photosynthesis. The extra water moved
out of leaves through the stomata (very tiny openings on the
leaves) as water vapor. Thus, water enters the biosphere and
exits into gaseous phase.
STEP 6: RUNOFF
As the water pours down (in whatever form), it leads to
runoff. Runoff is the process where water runs over the
surface of the earth. When the snow melts into water at also
leads to runoff. As water runs over the ground it displaces
the top soil with it and moves the minerals along with the
stream. The runoff combines to form channels and then rivers
and ends up into lakes, seas and oceans. Here the water
enters the hydrosphere.
STEP 7: INFILTRATION
Some of the water that precipitates does not runoff into
rivers and is absorbed by plants or gets evaporated. It moves
deep into the soil. This is called infiltration. The water
seeps down and increases the level of the ground water table.
It is called pure water and is drinkable. The infiltration is
measured as inches of water-soaked by the soil per hour.
THINGS THAT AFFECT THE WATER CYCLE
Storm events
Deforestation
Climate change
Farming practices
Land use change
Let’s Test your Hearing Skills!
We’ll find out if you really listened!
We will call five students to come in front. We will ask
them a question.
To answer the question, one must point in the figures shown.
Game!
Question :
Which process is when ice directly turns into water vapor
without the need of turning into a liquid first?
Sublimati Evaporati
on on
YOU GOT IT RIGHT!
nayzue
YOU GOT IT WRONG
Better luck next time
Question :
It is the distribution of water throughout the world by
natural means
Water
Water
Cycle
Question :
There are _____ steps in the water cycle
7 8
Question :
It is a process where the water vapors enter the hydrosphere
Infiltrat
Runoff
ion
Question :
A process where water vapors are poured down to bodies of
water and soil to be used again
Precipita Evaporati
tion on
