Earth's Water
This type of water is found in oceans.
Salt water
The process where liquid water turns into gas.
Evaporation
Water vapor cools and changes into this.
Clouds
Water stored below Earth's surface.
Groundwater
Earth's surface is covered by this percentage of water.
71%
Most of Earth's freshwater is trapped here.
Glaciers and polar ice caps
The sun provides energy for this process of the water cycle.
Evaporation
Clouds form when water vapor loses this.
Energy/heat
Water flowing across Earth’s surface is called this.
Runoff
This is the gas form of water.
Water vapor
Why is freshwater considered a limited resource?
Most freshwater is frozen and unavailable
Plants releasing water vapor into the air is called this.
Transpiration
Precipitation begins when clouds become too ____.
Runoff can eventually become this if it soaks into the ground.
Groundwater
Oceans have the most evaporation because they cover most of Earth's ____.
Surface
Between salt and fresh water, which is more common on Earth?
Salt water
Explain why the water cycle is called a cycle.
Water keeps moving and recycling continuously.
Predict what would happen to clouds if warm air did not cool as it rose.
Clouds would not form because condensation would not occur.
Explain the difference between runoff and groundwater.
Runoff moves on the surface; groundwater is underground
A puddle disappears after several sunny hours. Explain what happened.
Water evaporated
Explain how ocean water could eventually become drinking water. (in steps with arrows)
Evaporation → condensation → precipitation → collection as freshwater
Predict what might happen to the water cycle if Earth received less heat from the sun.
Evaporation would decrease, slowing the water cycle
Describe the steps that must happen before rain can fall from a cloud.
Evaporation → condensation → clouds become heavy → precipitation
A scientist says today's groundwater may have once been ocean water. Explain how.
Ocean water evaporates, falls as precipitation, then soaks undergound
Your whole group must stand and sing/perform the water cycle song.