The Water Cycle

Mr. Onishi

July 31, 2006

How old is a glass of water?

The earth’s water is always on the

move.
It is recycled over and over between
the land and the sky.
This natural process is called
the water cycle
Stages of The Water Cycle

The water cycle has 4 different stages:

Evaporation and Transpiration
Condensation
Precipitation
Collection
Evaporation and Transpiration
Evaporation
When the sun heats up the rivers,
lakes, and oceans the water turns
into steam or vapor and goes up into
the air.

Transpiration
Just as people sweat when they get
hot, plants can also lose water
through their leaves. This water
turns to vapor and goes up into the
air.
 Condensation
As the water vapor rises up into the air it
becomes colder.
When the water cools, it changes back into
a liquid and forms clouds in the sky.
This process is called condensation.

Have you ever seen drops of water

form on the outside of a cold soda
can?
This is also condensation!
 Precipitation
Precipitation occurs when there is so much water
in the air that it can no longer hold it.
The clouds get so heavy that they drop the water
back to the earth.
When this happens, we see precipitation in the
form of rain, snow, hail or sleet.
 Collection
Collection occurs when the water falls back to the
earth and ends up in the oceans, rivers, and lakes.

If the water falls on land, the earth

can soak up the water for plant and
animals to use, or it can run off the
land into the lakes, rivers, or oceans.

Then… the water cycle starts all over again!

The Water Cycle
 Vocabulary Review
Evaporation
The sun turns water into vapor that goes up into the air.
Transpiration
Plants can lose water through their leaves. The water turns to vapor and
rises up into the air.
Condensation
As water rises up into the air, it changes back into a liquid and forms
clouds.
Precipitation
The clouds get too heavy and drop water back to the earth as rain or snow.
Collection
The water that falls back to the earth ends up in the oceans, lakes, and
rivers.
The Water Cycle
The natural way the earth moves water between the land and the sky.
 Water Cycle Activities
from the Internet
Water Cycle worksheet - Print a copy of
this worksheet and label the stages of
the water cycle.
Water Cycle cartoon - Watch a cartoon
where you control the water cycle.
Water Cycle game - Help Droplet find
his way back to his home in the clouds
by taking him through the water cycle.