The Water Cycle Science

The Water Cycle

the model used to illustrate the movement and the phase changes of water at or near Earth’s surface

The Water Cycle is fueled by

Solar energy and gravity.

Evaporation

When the Sun warms up Liquid water and turns in into water vapor

Condensation

When water vapor turns into liquid water

Transpiration

the process of water moving through a plant and changing to vapor before being released into the atmosphere

Precipitation

the product of the condensation that falls from the sky

Examples of Precipitation

Rain-Snow-Sleet-Hail

When Precipitation Falls it can

Be Stored on land surfaces as ice snow

Infiltrate into the upper parts of the lithosphere

Flow over Earth’s surface as runoff

Be evaporated or undergo transpiration

Infiltration

the process by which water enters a substance

Factors Affection Infiltration

Slope of the Land

Degree of Saturation

Porosity

Permeability

Capillarity

Slope of the Land

steeper slopes do not give time for water to infiltrate the ground

Degree of Saturation

the amount of water already in the ground

Porosity

the percentage of open space (pores and cracks) in the ground

Permeability

a measure of how easily fluid flows through a porous solid

Capillarity

the action by which water moves against the downward pull of gravity

Vegetation

plants absorb water from the ground

Climate

the overall weather conditions over a long time span

Temperature is affected by

latitude, the angle of isolation, intensity, and duration of sunlight

Prevailing Winds

movement of air over the earth’s surface that blows from the same direction

Prevailing Winds are caused by

pressure differences and redistribute heat

Moisture content varies with latitude due to

planetary winds

Low Pressure at the equator causes air to

rise expand cool and condense to from clouds and rain

High Pressure causes air to

sink and form arid regions

Oceans seas lakes and bays modify climate regions where land masses close to a body of water will be regulated by the

slow rate of heating and cooling of water

coastal climates are modified by

ocean currents

Warm water flow away

away from the equator

cold water flow away from the

poles

Higher elevations are cooler due to

temperatures decreasing

mountains intersect planetary winds causing the

air rise expand cool and condense creating a cooler and more moist region on the windward side

During the day clouds block and

blocks the sunlight from warming the earth

during the night the clouds

and it traps heat in the atmosphere

During the day the sunlight reaches the earth

and heat energy warms the surface

During the night

and at night re-radiates back into space