The Water Cycle

What is the water cycle?

The continuous movement of water between the atmosphere, land, oceans and living organisms.

What is evaporation?

The process in which liquid water changes into water vapour.

What causes evaporation from oceans, lakes and rivers?

Energy transferred from the surroundings, including sunlight.

What is transpiration?

The loss of water vapour from plants, mainly through stomata.

How does transpiration contribute to the water cycle?

It releases water vapour into the atmosphere.

What is condensation?

The process in which water vapour changes into liquid water.

How are clouds formed?

Water vapour cools and condenses into tiny droplets or ice crystals.

What is precipitation?

Water falling from the atmosphere as rain, snow, sleet or hail.

What happens to rainwater after it reaches the ground?

It may run off, infiltrate the soil, be absorbed by plants or return to bodies of water.

What is surface runoff?

Water flowing over the land into rivers, lakes or oceans.

What is infiltration?

Water entering the soil from the ground surface.

What is groundwater?

Water stored beneath the Earth's surface in soil and rock spaces.

How do plants absorb water from the soil?

Through root hair cells by osmosis.

How do animals obtain water?

Through drinking, food and metabolic reactions.

How do animals return water to the environment?

Through excretion, respiration and other water losses.

Why is the water cycle important for ecosystems?

It recycles water needed for biological processes.

What provides much of the energy driving the water cycle?

The Sun.

Why is the water cycle described as continuous?

Water is repeatedly transferred between different environmental stores.

How can deforestation affect the water cycle?

It can reduce transpiration and increase surface runoff.

Why are the carbon and water cycles important together?

They recycle substances required for life and maintain ecosystem processes.