Water Cycle Processes
What process changes liquid water into water vapor?
What is evaporation?
What term describes water that plants absorb through their roots?
What is plant uptake?
What is the largest type of water reservoir on Earth's surface?
What are oceans?
What is the process by which water vapor leaves plant leaves?
What is transpiration?
What is the term for using water by living things or people?
What is consumption?
What process changes water vapor into liquid water?
What is condensation?
What is an underground layer of rock or sediment that stores and transmits groundwater called?
What is an aquifer?
What is water stored beneath Earth's surface in the spaces in soil and rock called?
What is groundwater?
What is the process in which water soaks into the ground?
What is infiltration?
What process releases water as a byproduct when organisms break down food to release energy?
What is respiration? Cellular respiration produces water as a byproduct.
What is the process in which water falls from clouds as rain, snow, sleet, or hail?
What is precipitation?
What is the percentage of empty space between particles in a material called?
What is porosity?
Name two places on Earth where freshwater is stored.
Examples include glaciers, lakes, rivers, and groundwater.
What is water flowing over the land into streams, lakes, or oceans called?
What is surface runoff?
How are plant uptake and transpiration connected?
Plants absorb water through their roots, and some of that water moves through the plant and exits through the leaves by transpiration.
Explain how evaporation and condensation work together to form clouds.
Evaporation adds water vapor to the air. As the vapor cools, condensation forms tiny liquid droplets or ice crystals that make up clouds.
Compare permeable and impermeable materials. How does each affect water movement?
Permeable materials allow water to pass through; impermeable materials resist or prevent water from passing through.
Why can a glacier be considered a freshwater reservoir even though its water is frozen?
Glaciers store frozen freshwater. When ice melts, the water can enter streams, lakes, and other parts of the water cycle.
Explain how melting, sublimation, and collection move water through or store water in the water cycle.
Melting changes ice into liquid water. Sublimation changes ice directly into water vapor. Collection is the gathering or storage of water in places such as lakes, rivers, and oceans.
A student says, 'Water disappears when a puddle dries.' Analyze this statement and correct the student's explanation.
The water does not disappear. It evaporates and enters the atmosphere as water vapor, moving to another part of the water cycle.
A region experiences warmer temperatures and stronger sunlight. Evaluate how these conditions could affect evaporation and the water cycle.
Evaporation will generally increase if water is available. More water vapor may enter the atmosphere, potentially increasing cloud formation and precipitation, although actual precipitation depends on other conditions.
A town must choose between protecting a permeable area that recharges its aquifer and paving it for parking. Evaluate the choices and justify the better option for protecting groundwater.
Protecting the permeable area is generally better because water can infiltrate and replenish groundwater. Paving it can increase runoff and reduce groundwater recharge. Other community needs should also be considered.
A community relies on a lake for drinking water. Evaluate two actions that could help protect its freshwater supply.
Answers may include limiting fertilizer and pesticide runoff, protecting shoreline vegetation, treating wastewater, reducing pollution, and monitoring water quality. Students should explain how their choices protect the water.
A hillside has compacted, impermeable soil and little vegetation. Predict and evaluate how a heavy rainstorm will affect infiltration, runoff, and possible flooding.
Infiltration is likely to decrease, while surface runoff increases. Greater runoff can carry soil and pollutants downhill and increase flooding risk. The exact impact depends on slope, rainfall, drainage, and other factors.
A school wants to reduce its impact on local freshwater. Evaluate which two strategies would be most effective: fixing leaking faucets, allowing polluted runoff into storm drains, planting vegetation, or wasting less water. Defend your choices.
Fixing leaks and wasting less water reduce consumption. Planting vegetation can help infiltration and filter runoff. Allowing polluted runoff into storm drains is harmful. Students should defend two suitable choices with scientific reasoning.