The H2O Cycle
This is the primary energy source that provides the heat needed to turn liquid water into water vapor.
What is the Sun?
This is the very first step a student should take when starting an investigation, usually written as an "If... then..." statement.
What is forming a hypothesis?
When there is a major decrease in precipitation in the Sierra Nevada mountains, cities like Los Angeles often face this "dry" disaster.
What is a drought?
These "underwater highways" are responsible for moving vast amounts of ocean water around the globe.
What are currents?
Even though Earth is called the "Blue Planet," this type of water is in very limited supply.
What is fresh water?
When water evaporates from the ocean, this substance is left behind, making the remaining water more concentrated.
What is salt?
Before starting the experiment, a student must identify these—the factors that can change or be kept the same.
What are variables?
Because the population is increasing but the water supply stays the same, the amount of fresh water available for each person will do this.
What is decrease?
This is one way salt gets into the ocean—it is carried there from the land by these flowing bodies of water.
What are rivers?
This is the name for an area of land that drains all its water into a specific stream, lake, or wetland.
What is a watershed?
This is the specific term for the process of "recycling" or cleaning used water so it can be used again for things like irrigation.
What is reclamation?
This is the step where you write down the numbers, measurements, or observations you see during your test.
What is collecting/recording data?
Most of California's fresh water comes from the melting "pack" of this substance in the mountains.
What is snow?
When these underwater features erupt, they add minerals and salts directly into the sea.
What are volcanoes?
We must protect watersheds because they help "refill" or replace our supply of this.
What is fresh water?
This "invisible" gas is what liquid water becomes after it evaporates.
What is water vapor?
In an experiment about evaporation, the "rate" refers to this.
What is how fast the water evaporates?
This famous California body of water is an example of a "salty" lake, unlike the Great Lakes.
What is Mono Lake?
This is the primary force that pushes surface currents in the ocean.
What is wind?
Most of the Earth's total water supply (about 97%) is found here.
What are the oceans?
Clouds are formed through this process, which is the opposite of evaporation.
What is condensation?
If a student tests evaporation in the sun vs. the shade, the "amount of light" is considered this type of variable.
What is the independent variable?
This is the main reason California has to "import" or move water from one part of the state to another.
What is unequal distribution (most water is in the North, most people are in the South)?
True or False: Ocean water is a usable source of fresh water for drinking without expensive treatment.
What is False?
This is the term for the movement of salt or pollutants through a watershed into our drinking supply.
What is runoff?