The Water Cycle
Water is all around us, but where does it come from? How does it travel from place to place? How do clouds form? Why don't the oceans overflow from rain? All of these questions can be answered by exploring the Water Cycle!
It's a Cycle!
This means that it happens over and over and over again. Look at the pictures below. They show you the important steps in the water cycle. Once the water goes through every step, the cycle starts over again.
Evaporation
First is Evaporation where the sun heats the water and turns it into water vapor.
Condensation
The water vapor begins to form clouds, this step is called Condensation.
Precipitation
Once the clouds get filled with water it begins to rain, this is called Precipitation.
After the water falls as precipitation, the whole cycle starts over again!
Bill Nye explains it all!
Bill will now take you through each step of the water cycle and give you some examples that you can relate to.
Bill Nye the Science Guy episodes 47: Water Cycle
Credits
Metstorm, (2010). Weather Start: Clouds, Rain, Water Cycle. [Full Video]. Available from http://www.discoveryeducation.com/
Paul Fuqua, (2004). Evaporation of water from earth's surface. [Image]. Available from http://www.discoveryeducation.com/
Paul Fuqua, (2004). Evaporation and condensation of water from earth's surface. [Image]. Available from http://www.discoveryeducation.com/
Paul Fuqua, (2004). Precipitation, illustration. [Image]. Available from http://www.discoveryeducation.com/
[ZstarTstaR] Dec 11, 2012. Bill Nye the Science Guy episodes 47: Water Cycle. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPJYPo2qhOM