The Water Cycle
and life on Earth
STUDENTS: Each "explore" heading below will lead you to pictures, videos, books, songs, and websites about water. Read the text, then click the gray boxes for more.
Explore! Enjoy!
The Water Cycle
The water cycle is the movement of water from the ground to the air and back to the ground by evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. The energy that drives this cycle comes from the sun.
During the water cycle, liquid water is heated and changed to a gas (water vapor). This process is called evaporation. The gas (water vapor) is cooled and changed back to a liquid. This process is called condensation. Water as a liquid or a solid falls to the ground as precipitation.
Image by NASA via Flickr. CC2 license.
Water is Life
Water is a simple compound essential for life on Earth. Living cells are mostly water. In each cell, the chemicals necessary for life are dissolved in water.
Image by Pixabay via Pexels. CC0 license.
Water is Limited
Our water supply on Earth is limited. Pollution reduces the amount of usable water; therefore, the supply should be conserved carefully.
Image by Jemzo via Pixabay. CC0 license.