Evaporation
This process happens when the Sun heats water in rivers, lakes, and oceans, turning it into water vapour.
What is evaporation?
Water vapour cools and changes into tiny droplets during this process.
What is condensation?
Rain, hail, sleet, and snow are all forms of this.
What is precipitation?
After rain falls, water often collects in rivers, lakes, and these large bodies of salt water.
What are oceans?
Australia is known as one of the driest inhabited ______ on Earth.
What is a continent?
Australia's hot summers can increase this part of the water cycle.
What is evaporation?
Condensation forms these visible masses in the sky.
What are clouds?
This type of precipitation is common in Australia's alpine regions during winter.
What is snow?
Water soaking into the ground is called this process.
What is infiltration?
This climate event often brings wetter conditions to eastern Australia.
What is La Niña?
The largest source of evaporated water affecting Australia's water cycle.
What is the ocean?
When warm, moist air rises over the Great Dividing Range, clouds often form because of this process.
What is cooling and condensation?
Monsoonal rains are common in this part of Australia.
What is northern Australia?
Underground layers of rock or sediment that store water are called these.
What are aquifers?
This tropical ecosystem in northern Australia relies on seasonal wet and dry cycles.
What are wetlands?
Water can evaporate from this famous Australian river system.
What is the Murray-Darling Basin?
Water droplets in clouds must become large enough before they fall as this type of precipitation, the most common in Australia.
What is rain?
A long period with very little rainfall is called this.
What is a drought?
One of Australia's most important underground water reserves.
What is the Great Artesian Basin?
Removing too much vegetation can affect the water cycle by reducing this plant process.
What is transpiration?
Besides liquid water, plants release water vapour through this process.
What is transpiration?
The type of cloud often associated with thunderstorms in northern Australia.
What is a cumulonimbus cloud?
Heavy rainfall can cause rivers to overflow, leading to this natural hazard.
What is flooding?
Groundwater can return to the surface through these natural water outlets.
What are springs?
Climate change may increase the frequency of these extreme water-related events in Australia.
What are droughts and floods?