Water Cycle

These flashcards cover the key concepts related to the water cycle and the chemical properties of water.

Water Cycle

The continuous process by which water circulates through the environment, involving evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

Dehydration synthesis

A chemical reaction where two molecules are bonded together with the removal of a water molecule.

Hydrolysis

A chemical process that splits a molecule by adding water.

pH

A measure of how acidic or basic water is, determined by the concentration of hydrogen ions.

Sea water

Water from oceans or seas, which makes up 97% of the Earth's water.

Fresh water

Water that is not salty, making up only 3% of the total water on Earth.

Glaciers and groundwater

Ice masses and underground water sources that contain the majority of the Earth's fresh water.

Evaporation

The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas.

Condensation

The process by which water vapor cools and changes back into liquid water.

Precipitation

Any form of water that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface, including rain, snow, sleet, and hail.