assignment water cycle

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Water cycle.

The water cycle is the endless process that connects all of the water on Earth.

Conservation, Earth Science, Meteorology

Deer Streams National Park Mist

A misty cloud rises over Deer Streams National Park. The water cycle contains more steps than just rain and evaporation, fog and mist are other ways for water to be returned to the ground.

Photograph by Redline96

Water is one of the key ingredients to life on Earth. About 75 percent of our planet is covered by water or ice. The water cycle is the endless process that connects all of that water. It joins Earth’s oceans, land, and atmosphere.

Earth’s water cycle began about 3.8 billion years ago when rain fell on a cooling Earth, forming the oceans. The rain came from water vapor that escaped the magma in Earth’s molten core into the atmosphere. Energy from the sun helped power the water cycle and Earth’s gravity kept water in the atmosphere from leaving the planet.

The oceans hold about 97 percent of the water on Earth. About 1.7 percent of Earth’s water is stored in polar ice caps and glaciers. Rivers, lakes, and soil hold approximately 1.7 percent. A tiny fraction—just 0.001 percent—exists in Earth’s atmosphere as water vapor.

When molecules of water vapor return to liquid or solid form, they create cloud droplets that can fall back to Earth as rain or snow—a process called condensation . Most precipitation lands in the oceans. Precipitation that falls onto land flows into rivers, streams, and lakes. Some of it seeps into the soil where it is held underground as groundwater.

When warmed by the sun, water on the surface of oceans and freshwater bodies evaporates, forming a vapor. Water vapor rises into the atmosphere, where it condenses, forming clouds. It then falls back to the ground as precipitation. Moisture can also enter the atmosphere directly from ice or snow. In a process called sublimation , solid water, such as ice or snow, can transform directly into water vapor without first becoming a liquid.

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• Water Cycle

Weather & Climate

Societal applications, exploring the water cycle.

This lesson plan is intended for teachers to use with their upper elementary and middle school students to learn about the water cycle and the forces that drive it. The emphasis in this lesson will be on having students understand the processes that take place in moving water through Earth’s system. 

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• Teacher Guide (pdf)
• Teacher Demonstration Directions  (pdf)
• Student Capture Sheet (pdf)
• Presentation (ppt)
• Pre and Post Assessment (pdf)

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Water Cycle Activity

In this activity, students will build a model to simulate parts of the water cycle. They will be able to recognize and explain the essential elements of the water cycle.

Learning Objectives

• Students will learn that scale models can be used to simulate global processes.
• Students will be able to recognize and explain the essential elements of the water cycle.
• Artist's clay or plastic mountain model
• Petri dish(es)
• Crushed ice
• Large aquarium or plastic shoeboxes with covers

Preparation

• This activity can be done as a class demonstration or in groups of 3-5students. If performed as a class demonstration, the teacher needs one large aquarium and the other listed materials. For groups of 3-5 students, each group needs a plastic shoebox with a cover and the rest of the listed supplies.The student groups are responsible for setting up the model and drawing conclusions from their own work.
• Check the light bulbs to ensure they generate enough heat. Use incandescent light bulbs instead of LED or CFL bulbs.
• Prepare crushed ice cubes that will be placed in the Petri dish.
• Ask students "What have you noticed about glass surfaces, such as mirrors or windows, after a hot shower?"If students have enough prior knowledge, ask the students to explain the different parts of the water cycle that occurred in this example.
• Discuss as a class the phases of water and the water cycle.Show the graphic of the water cycle and explain the various parts. Refer to background section.
• Tell the students that they are going to develop and analyze a model to explore the water cycle.
• Pour water into the "ocean" basin until about one-fourth of the mountain slope is covered (as shown).
• Replace the lid of the shoebox.
• Place a Petri dish on top of the shoebox over the mountain (as shown).
• Place crushed ice into the Petri dish.
• Position the lamp over the ocean. Turn on the lamp. CAUTION: THE LAMP WILL GET HOT. DO NOT TOUCH THE BULB OR SHADE.
• Have students observe the container carefully and note any changes that they see. It might help to add a little smoke to the aquarium to help them see the circulation. Another option is to light a few matches, blow them out, and then quickly drop the matches into the box.

Observations and Questions

• Have students answer some or all of the questions in lab notebooks for collection and evaluation.
• Put 1/2 inch or so of sand or gravel in a re-sealable plastic bag.
• Add 1/4 cup of water (color the water blue for easier visibility).
• Put it in a sunny window or under a bright light.
• The students should see evaporation/condensation/precipitation and infiltration take place. They should identify that transpiration was not part of the system.

Modifications for Alternative Learners

Students with language difficulties should be encouraged to rely on labeled diagrams to help answer the assessment questions.

Water is in the atmosphere, on the land, in the ocean, and underground. It moves from place to place through the water cycle . As it moves through the water cycle, water often changes from a liquid to a solid (ice) to a gas (water vapor). Water in oceans and lakes is typically liquid, but it is solid ice in glaciers, and often water vapor in the atmosphere.

Temperature and pressure determine the phase of water (solid, liquid, or gas).

Water is essential for life on Earth. It is recycled through the water or hydrologic cycle, which involves the following processes:

• Evaporation,  the changing of water from a liquid to a gas
• Condensation,  the changing of water from a gas to a liquid
• Sublimation,  the changing of water from a solid to a gas
• Precipitation,  the process by which water molecules condense to form drops heavy enough to fall to the Earth's surface
• Transpiration,  the process by which moisture is carried through plants from roots to leaves, where it changes to vapor and is released to the atmosphere
• Surface runoff,  the flowing of water over the land from higher to lower ground
• Infiltration,  the process of water filling the porous spaces of soil
• Percolation,  groundwater moving in the saturated zone below the surface of the land

Water at the surface of the ocean, rivers, and lakes can become water vapor and move into the atmosphere with a little added energy from the  Sun   through a process called  evaporation . Snow and ice can also become water vapor through a process called  sublimation . Water vapor gets into the atmosphere from plants by a process called  transpiration .

Because air is cooler at higher altitude in the troposphere, water vapor cools as it rises high in the atmosphere and transforms into water droplets by a process called  condensation . The water droplets that form make up clouds. If the temperature is cold enough, ice crystals form instead of liquid water droplets. If they grow large enough the droplets or ice crystals eventually become too heavy to stay in the air, falling to the ground as rain, snow, and other types of  precipitation .

Through these processes, the amount of water on Earth remains nearly constant and is continually recycled through time. Water molecules may remain in one form for a very long period of time (for example, water molecules can be locked in Antarctic ice for thousands of years) and in other forms for very short times (for example, water molecules in desert rainstorms spend mere minutes as surface water before evaporating into vapor again).

Related Content Links

• Water Cycle
• Clouds, Precipitation and Climate Change

What Is the Water Cycle?

Water can be found all over Earth in the ocean, on land and in the atmosphere. The water cycle is the path that all water follows as it moves around our planet.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Data source: NASA's Earth Observatory

On Earth, you can find water in all three states of matter: solid , liquid and gas . Liquid water is found in Earth’s oceans, rivers, lakes, streams—and even in the soil and underground. Solid ice is found in glaciers , snow, and at the North and South Poles . Water vapor—a gas—is found in Earth’s atmosphere.

How does water travel from a glacier to the ocean to a cloud? That’s where the water cycle comes in.

The Water Cycle

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The Sun’s heat causes glaciers and snow to melt into liquid water. This water goes into oceans, lakes and streams. Water from melting snow and ice also goes into the soil. There, it supplies water for plants and the groundwater that we drink.

Snow falling on a glacier during winter months usually replaces any water that melts away in the summer. However, due to Earth’s overall warming , most glaciers today are losing more ice than they regain, causing them to shrink over time.

How does water get into the atmosphere? There are two main ways this happens:

• Heat from the Sun causes water to evaporate from oceans, lakes and streams. Evaporation occurs when liquid water on Earth’s surface turns into water vapor in our atmosphere.
• Water from plants and trees also enters the atmosphere. This is called transpiration .

Warm water vapor rises up through Earth’s atmosphere. As the water vapor rises higher and higher, the cool air of the atmosphere causes the water vapor to turn back into liquid water, creating clouds. This process is called condensation .

When a cloud becomes full of liquid water, it falls from the sky as rain or snow—also known as precipitation . Rain and snow then fill lakes and streams, and the process starts all over again.

Clouds, like these over the savannah in Nairobi, Kenya, form when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses back into liquid water. Credit: Department of State

Why Do We Care About the Water Cycle?

We care about the water cycle because water is necessary for all living things. NASA satellites orbiting Earth right now are helping us to understand what is happening with water on our planet.

Water in the Soil

Humans need water to drink, and to water the plants that grow our food. NASA has a satellite called SMAP —short for Soil Moisture Active Passive —that measures how much water is in the top 2 inches (5 cm) of Earth’s soil . This can help us understand the relationship between water in the soil and severe weather conditions, such as droughts.

Water in the Atmosphere

NASA’s CloudSat mission studies water in our atmosphere in the form of clouds. CloudSat gathers information about clouds and how they play a role in Earth’s climate. Also, the international satellite called the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM) observes when, where and how much it rains and snows on Earth.

Water in the Oceans

As Earth’s climate becomes warmer, land ice at the North and South Poles starts melting. The water then flows into the ocean, causing sea level to rise. NASA’s Jason-3 mission—short for Joint Altimetry Satellite Oceanography Network-3 —orbits Earth collecting information about sea level and ocean temperature. This helps track how the ocean responds to Earth’s changing climate.

NASA is also tracking how Earth’s water moves all around our planet. This is the work of the GRACE-FO —or Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment-Follow On —mission. It tracks the movement of water from one month to the next, and can even measure changes in deep groundwater hundreds of feet below Earth’s surface.

NASA’s Aqua satellite also collects a large amount of information about Earth’s water cycle, including water in the oceans, clouds, sea ice, land ice and snow cover.

Related NASA Missions

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The Water Cycle

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NOAA Water Cycle Resources

NOAA National Weather Service

You may think every drop of rain falling from the sky, or each glass of water you drink, is brand new, but it has always been here, and is a part of the water cycle.  At its most basic, the water cycle is how water continuously moves from the ground to the atmosphere and back again.  As it moves through this cycle, it changes forms.  Water is the only substance that naturally exists in three states on Earth – solid, liquid, and gas.

Over 96% of total global water is in the ocean, so let’s start there.  Energy from the sun causes water on the surface to evaporate into water vapor – a gas.  This invisible vapor rises into the atmosphere, where the air is colder, and condenses into clouds.  Air currents move these clouds all around the earth.

Water drops form in clouds, and the drops then return to the ocean or land as precipitation - let’s say this time, it’s snow.  The snow will fall to the ground, and eventually melts back into a liquid and runs off into a lake or river, which flows back into the ocean, where it starts the process again.

That’s just one path water can take through the water cycle.  Instead of snow melting and running off into a river, it can become part of a glacier and stay there for a long, long time.  Or rain can seep into the ground and become groundwater, where it’s taken up by plants.  It can then transpirate to gas directly through the leaves and return to the atmosphere.  Or, instead of being taken up by the plant, the groundwater can work its way up to a lake, river, spring, or even the ocean.

As you can see, the water cycle can be a very complicated process.  And all its paths through Earth’s ecosystems are complex and not completely understood.

Transcripción

• Why Does Water Expand When It Freezes
• Gold Foil Experiment
• Faraday Cage
• Oil Drop Experiment
• Magnetic Monopole
• Why Do Fireflies Light Up
• Types of Blood Cells With Their Structure, and Functions
• The Main Parts of a Plant With Their Functions
• Parts of a Flower With Their Structure and Functions
• Parts of a Leaf With Their Structure and Functions
• Why Does Ice Float on Water
• Why Does Oil Float on Water
• How Do Clouds Form
• What Causes Lightning
• How are Diamonds Made
• Types of Meteorites
• Types of Volcanoes
• Types of Rocks

Water Cycle

What is the water cycle.

Water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, involves a series of stages that show the continuous movement and interchange of water between its three phases – solid, liquid, and gas, in the earth’s atmosphere. The sun acts as the primary source of energy that powers   the   water cycle on earth. Bernard Palissy discovered the modern theory of the water cycle in 1580 CE.

Steps of the Water Cycle: How does it Work

1. Change from Liquid to Gaseous Phase – Evaporation and Transpiration

The heat of the sun causes water from the surface of water bodies such as oceans, streams, and lakes to evaporate into water vapor in the atmosphere. Plants also contribute to the water cycle when water gets evaporated from the aerial parts of the plant , such as leaves and stems by the process of transpiration.

2. Change from Solid to Gaseous Phase – Sublimation

Due to dry winds, low humidity, and low air pressure, snow present on the mountains change directly into water vapor, bypassing the liquid phase by a process known as sublimation.

3. Change from Gaseous to Liquid Phase – Condensation

The invisible water vapor formed through evaporation, transpiration, and sublimation rises through the atmosphere, while cool air rushes to take its place. This is the process of condensation that allows water vapor to transform back into liquid, which is then stored in the form of clouds.

Sometimes, a sudden drop in atmospheric temperature helps the water vapors to condense into tiny droplets of water that remain suspended in the air. These suspended water droplets get mixed with bits of dust in the air, resulting in fog.

4. Change from Gaseous to Liquid and Solid Phase – Precipitation and Deposition         

Wind movements cause the water-laden clouds   to collide and fall back on the earth’s surface through precipitation, simply known as rain. The water that evaporated in the first stage thus returns into different water bodies on the earth’s surface, including the ocean, rivers, ponds, and lakes. In regions with extremely cold climate with sub-zero temperatures, the water vapor changes directly into frost and snow bypassing the liquid phase, causing snowfall in high altitudes by a process known as the deposition. 

5. Return of the water back into the underground reserve – Runoff, Infiltration, Percolation, and Collection

The water that falls back on the earth’s surface moves between the layers of soil and rocks and is accumulated as the underground water reserves known as aquifers. This process is further assisted by earthquakes, which help the underground water to reach the mantle of the earth. Some amount of precipitated water flows down the sides of mountains and hills to reach the water bodies, which again evaporates into the atmosphere. During volcanic eruptions, the underground water returns to the surface of the earth, where it mixes with the surface water bodies in order to continue the cycle.

Video: Water Cycle Explained

Why is the water cycle important.

The most crucial and direct impacts of the above process on earth include:

• Making fresh water available to plants and animals, including humans, by purifying the groundwater on earth. During the water cycle, the water evaporates, leaving behind all the sediments and other dust particles. Similarly, for the sustenance of marine life, the saline range of all salt water bodies is kept within a certain permissible limit through infiltration. 
• Allowing even distribution of water on all surfaces of the earth. Water is temporarily stored as clouds in the atmosphere, whereas surface water bodies such as rivers and oceans, together with underground water, form the major permanent water reserves. 
• Causing a cooling effect on earth due to evaporation of water from surface water bodies, which help to form clouds that eventually precipitate down in the form of rain. This way water cycle affects the weather and climate of the earth.
• Ensuring some other biogeochemical cycles , including those concerning oxygen and phosphorus, to continue in nature.
• Cleaning the atmosphere by taking-away dust particles, shoot, and bacteria , thus acting as a means to purify the air we breathe.

Human Impact on Water Cycle

Human activities adversely affect the water cycle in the two following ways:

a) Deforestation : Plants play an important role in the water cycle by preventing soil erosion and thus helps to increase the groundwater level of the earth. Also, plants contribute by absorbing water from the soil, which is then released back to the atmosphere during transpiration. Deforestation adversely affects both the above processes, thus breaking the flow of the water cycle.

b) Pollution : Burning of fossil fuels acts as the major source of air pollution releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere, leading to the formation of smog and acid rain . Water from farmlands run off to the nearest water bodies carrying chemicals such as insecticides and pesticides along with them, thus causing water pollution. The presence of excessive contaminants in the atmosphere and water bodies decreases the evaporation and condensation on earth, thus adversely affecting the water cycle.

Ans. Cellular respiration is the process by which organisms take up oxygen in order to breathe and digest food. Water is utilized for breaking large molecules that release energy in the form of ATP , while in a subsequent step the water molecules are released back into the cell, which in turn returns to the atmosphere, thus affecting the water cycle.

Ans. Rivers contain more water than streams and thus contribute more to the formation of water vapor through evaporation compared to a stream.

• Water Cycle – Britannica.com
• The Water Cycle – Khanacademy.org
• Water Cycle – Noaa.gov
• What Is The Hydrologic Cycle? – Worldatlas.com
• What is the Water Cycle? – Earth.com
• The Water Cycle – Coastgis.marsci.uga.edu

Article was last reviewed on Wednesday, May 17, 2023

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One response to “Water Cycle”

The first part of the water cycle is of course evaporation and transportation, but I don’t want to focus on that, I want to focus on the 2nd step which is sublimation. Sublimation is when snow or hail, or sleet falls down on a mountain and it quickly turns into water vapor by passing the liquid phase.Now lets skip to the last phase which is RIPC

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• Biology Article

Water Cycle

What is the Water Cycle? Water Cycle Diagram Stages of Water Cycle Implications of Water Cycle Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Water Cycle?

The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle or the hydrological cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth.

Water Cycle Diagram

During this process, water changes its state from one phase to another, but the total number of water particles remains the same. In other words, if it were possible to collect and boil 100 gms of water, it will still retain a mass of 100 gms as steam. Likewise, if 100 gms of steam is collected and condensed, the resultant water would still weight 100 gms.

Water changes its state through a variety of processes from evaporation, melting and freezing, to sublimation, condensation, and deposition. All these changes require the application of energy.

Stages of Water Cycle

There are many processes involved in the movement of water apart from the major steps given in the above water cycle diagram. Listed below are different stages of the water cycle.

1. Evaporation

The sun is the ultimate source of energy, and it powers most of the evaporation that occurs on earth. Evaporation generally happens when water molecules at the surface of water bodies become excited and rise into the air. These molecules with the highest kinetic energy accumulate into water vapour clouds. Evaporation usually takes place below the boiling point of water. Another process called evapotranspiration occurs when evaporation occurs through the leaves of plants. This process contributes to a large percentage of water in the atmosphere.

2. Sublimation

Sublimation occurs when snow or ice changes directly into water vapour without becoming water. It usually occurs as a result of dry winds and low humidity. Sublimation can be observed on mountain peaks, where the air pressure is quite low. The low air pressure helps to sublimate the snow into water vapour as less energy is utilised in the process. Another example of sublimation is the phase where fog bellows from dry ice. On earth, the primary source of sublimation is from the ice sheets covering the poles of the earth.

3. Condensation

The water vapour that accumulated in the atmosphere eventually cools down due to the low temperatures found at high altitudes. These vapours become tiny droplets of water and ice, eventually coming together to form clouds.

4. Precipitation

Above 0 degrees centigrade, the vapours will condense into water droplets. However, it cannot condense without dust or other impurities. Hence, water vapours attach itself on to the particle’s surface. When enough droplets merge, it falls out of the clouds and on to the ground below. This process is called precipitation (or rainfall). In particularly cold weather or extremely low air pressure, the water droplets freeze and fall as snow or hail.

5. Infiltration

Rainwater gets absorbed into the ground through the process of infiltration. The level of absorption varies based on the material the water has seeped into. For instance, rocks will retain comparatively less water than soil. Groundwater can either follows streams or rivers. But sometimes, it might just sink deeper, forming aquifers.

If the water from rainfall does not form aquifers, it follows gravity, often flowing down the sides of mountains and hills; eventually forming rivers. This process is called runoff. In colder regions, icecaps form when the amount of snowfall is faster than the rate of evaporation or sublimation. The biggest icecaps on earth are found at the poles.

All the steps mentioned above occur cyclically with neither a fixed beginning nor an end.

Also Read:  Back to the Oceans

Implications of Water Cycle

• The water cycle has a tremendous impact on the climate. For instance, the greenhouse effect will cause a rise in temperature. Without the evaporative cooling effect of the water cycle, the temperature on earth would rise drastically.
• The water cycle is also an integral part of other biogeochemical cycles.
• Water cycle affects all life processes on earth.
• The water cycle is also known the clean the air. For instance, during the process of precipitation, water vapours have to attach themselves on to particles of dust. In polluted cities, the raindrops, apart from picking up dust, also pick up water-soluble gas and pollutants as they fall from the clouds. Raindrops are also known to pick up biological agents such as bacteria and industrial soot particles and smoke.

Read more about the water cycle with diagram by registering @  BYJU’S Biology

• Biogeochemical cycles
• Oxygen Cycle
• Carbon Cycle
• Nitrogen Cycle

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the major 4 steps in the water cycle.

The major 4 steps are evaporation of water, then condensation, precipitation and collection. The sun evaporates water sources and contributes to the formation of water vapor. These water vapour accumulate in the atmosphere as clouds. The vapours condense into water droplets and when enough droplets merge, it falls out of the clouds as rain.

What is the difference between evaporation and condensation?

Evaporation is a process by which water changes into water vapour. Condensation is an opposite process by which water vapour is converted into tiny droplets of water.

Why is water cycle important?

Water cycle has a huge impact on determining the global climate. It is also an integral part of other biogeochemical cycles. It affects all life processes on Earth either directly or indirectly.

Put your understanding of this concept to test by answering a few MCQs. Click ‘Start Quiz’ to begin!

Select the correct answer and click on the “Finish” button Check your score and answers at the end of the quiz

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Water Cycle

Introduction: (initial observation).

Rain and snow are the main sources of fresh water for people living on the earth. Both rain and snow come from the clouds; but, where do the clouds come from? It often seems that clouds appear from nowhere. One minute the sky is clear and then a few minutes later clouds form. Sometimes clouds come from far places. Wind moves the clouds from one area to the other.

If you live near a lake, ocean or forest, you may have seen water vapors rising from wet surfaces and disappearing in the air. Is it possible that the same vapors become visible again when they get to higher elevations? If the clouds come from oceans, forests and other surface waters then why doesn’t the rain water contain salt and other pollutants that exist in rivers and surface waters?

Is it possible that only pure water evaporates and all impurities stay behind?

In this project you will study, observe and demonstrate the water cycle.

This project guide contains information that you need in order to start your project. If you have any questions or need more support about this project, click on the “Ask Question” button on the top of this page to send me a message.

If you are new in doing science project, click on “How to Start” in the main page. There you will find helpful links that describe different types of science projects, scientific method, variables, hypothesis, graph, abstract and all other general basics that you need to know.

Project advisor

Adult supervision and support is required for the experiments of this project.

Information Gathering:

Find out what happens to the water that evaporates. Read books, magazines or ask professionals who might know in order to learn about water evaporation, clouds and precipitation. Keep track of where you got your information from.

Following are samples of information that you may find:

The Water Cycle

Background Information:

Earth was formed 4.6 billion years ago, but water was not present from the very beginning. At some point, possibly because of the heating of hydrogen and oxygen as Earth developed, water vapor began to form in the atmosphere. About 3.8 billion years ago, oceans formed and the cycle began. The same water that you drink today has been around since the oceans formed. Water is an important part of life on this planet. The water cycle is a complex process that gives us water to drink and provides us with climates that allow us to have food to eat. The earth has a limited amount of water, which keeps going around and around. It is a very important cycle in that it allows for life and helps sustain life on earth. Seventy percent of the earth’s surface is covered by water. Yet only 1% of that water is in the form to be used by humans and land animals. Water constantly changes from solid to liquid to gas. This cycle is what we call the water cycle.

Evaporation, condensation, and precipitation are the cycles of the water cycle.

Evaporation occurs when the sun heats up water in our oceans, lakes, and rivers and turns it into vapor or stream. This water vapor leaves the oceans, lakes, and rivers and moves up into the air. The water vapor settles in the troposphere where it condenses.

Condensation happens when warm and cold air meets in the troposphere. The water vapors in the air get cold and excess water condenses into either liquid water or ice, which then form clouds. If enough of this water forms into clouds, rain will begin if the weather is warm. If it is cold, it will snow. This process is called precipitation.

Precipitation is when so much water has condensed that the air cannot hold it any longer. The clouds get heavy and water falls back to the earth in the form of rain, hail, sleet or snow.

Essentially water in liquid form turns into a gas, then into a solid, and finally back into a liquid in a never-ending process.

Suggested References:

Do some research on water cycles, and draw a diagram to help you further understand this important cycle of the earth. Once you understand the water cycle and have done some research on it, you can observe the cycle in your own home. The links below should be very helpful in this preparation process. They should be used as a complement to your own research.

If you live in the United States, there are 40 trillion gallons of water above your head on an average day. Each day, about four trillion gallons of this water fall to Earth as precipitation, such as rain, snow, or hail. Some of the water that falls to Earth soaks into the ground and provides runoff to rivers, lakes, and oceans. The remainder—more than 2.5 trillion gallons—returns to the atmosphere through evaporation, and the process begins again.

This continuous process of precipitation and evaporation is called the water cycle, or hydrologic cycle.

Source…

Evaporation:

Evaporation is when the sun heats up water in rivers or lakes or the ocean and turns it into vapor or steam. The water vapor or steam leaves the river, lake or ocean and goes into the air.

Sample Experiment to show condensation

In this experiment we will go through all the water cycles and recreate them at home to further understand how they affect the whole world.

You can observe condensation very simply with a few items from around your house. Pour cold water into a glass and put it out on a hot day. You will see water form on the outside of the glass after a few minutes. Water vapor in the warm air turns back into liquid when it touches the cold glass.

You can also view evaporation very easily in your home. Have a parent assist you with putting some water in a kettle, and letting it come to a boil. As the water in the kettle becomes heated, you can watch the steam rise out of the kettle. The water is evaporating into the air.

You can then take a ceramic plate and put it in your freezer for an hour. Then take the plate out of the freezer and hold it about 1 ft. over the steam rising out of the kettle. Be careful that the steam does not burn your hands. You will see water droplets form on the plate. This is then called condensation. If a lot of water condenses on plate, it will start dripping down and this in turn is called precipitation!

Conclusions:

In this same way that you viewed the water cycle in your home, the water cycle occurs on our earth. What is the importance of what you have just done? Summarize what you just observed in your experiments. Describe exactly what happened and try to think of the implications of these procedures.

Question/ Purpose:

What do you want to find out? Write a statement that describes what you want to do. Use your observations and questions to write the statement.

The purpose of this project is to display water cycle. Show how the light and heat energy from the sun evaporate water and distributes water around the earth.

Identify Variables:

When you think you know what variables may be involved, think about ways to change one at a time. If you change more than one at a time, you will not know what variable is causing your observation. Sometimes variables are linked and work together to cause something. At first, try to choose variables that you think act independently of each other.

As a display project, you will not need to identify variables. In higher grades you may want to study the effect of one specific factor on the rate of evaporation or condensation. That is when you need to define variables.

For example you may want to study the effect of temperature on evaporation of water. In this case temperature will be the manipulated variable. The rate of evaporation is the responding variable.

Another example is when you want to determine the evaporation rate in different days. (Experiment 3) . In this case the independent variable is the day. The dependent variable is the amount of water evaporation from one square foot surface water.

Hypothesis:

Based on your gathered information, make an educated guess about what types of things affect the system you are working with. Identifying variables is necessary before you can make a hypothesis.

In a display project, you will not need to identify variables.

Experiment Design:

Design an experiment to test each hypothesis. Make a step-by-step list of what you will do to answer each question. This list is called an experimental procedure. For an experiment to give answers you can trust, it must have a “control.” A control is an additional experimental trial or run. It is a separate experiment, done exactly like the others. The only difference is that no experimental variables are changed. A control is a neutral “reference point” for comparison that allows you to see what changing a variable does by comparing it to not changing anything. Dependable controls are sometimes very hard to develop. They can be the hardest part of a project. Without a control you cannot be sure that changing the variable causes your observations. A series of experiments that includes a control is called a “controlled experiment.”

Experiment 1: What evaporates?

Introduction : Rain and snow do not contain salt and other pollutants usually found in the sea or other surface waters. In this experiment you will test to see if such material may evaporate along with water.

Procedure :

• Make some salty-polluted water by dissolving some salt and some water color in a cup of water.
• Transfer your polluted water to a plate and leave it outside under the sun for water to evaporate.
• After a few days, see weather the salts and water color evaporated or if they remained on the plate.
• Based on the result, write your conclusion.

Experiment 2: Water Displacement?

Introduction : Evaporation, condensation and precipitation are parts of a process that transfer large amounts of water from oceans to dry lands all over the globe on a daily bases.

This process is called water cycle. Without this process rivers, forests and lakes could not exist. In this experiment we will examine the process of water cycle and see how water is transferred from one area to the other.

• Get a two compartment plastic container with a lid that seals perfectly. Make sure that the divider is shorter than the sides of the container; in this way air can freely flow between the two compartments.
• Place the container on a flat surface in a sunny place in your backyard and then place a piece of stone or a block of wood under one side of the container. In this way the container will be slanted to one side.
• Fill the elevated compartment in half with water. Carefully place the lid on and cover the lower compartment with an aluminum foil to keep it cool.
• After 7 days carefully open the container. What do you see in the lower compartment. Can water evaporate from one compartment and condense and precipitate in the other compartment?

Variations:

The above experiment can also be performed in a glass or plastic aquarium.

A slanted glass on top allows the condensations to go towards elevations that you may make using real soil or a block of Styrofoam.

Use plastic plants or dry plants on the elevations to simulate vegetations.

What if we have no sunlight?

A 100 watt flood lamp mounted about 1 foot above the water area can work like sunlight. You may use a timer or manually turn off an on the light every hour to create day and night conditions for your model.

Experiment 3: Rate of water cycle

Introduction : The water cycle starts by evaporation of surface waters and perspiration by plants, and it ends when the water comes back down to the earth in the form of rain or snow. In this experiment you measure and record the amount of water evaporating from surface waters in different days.

Who must do this experiment?

If you are required to have a data table and possibly a graph for your project, you may try this experiment. In most cases 8th grade students are expected to present a data table and a graph with their project report or project display.

Measure 250 milliliters of water in a graduated cylinder and then transfer the water to a flat, square cooking tray. Try to use a tray that has an area of one square foot. If you don’t have a tray that measure one square foot, you can make one using an aluminum foil placed over a cardboard.

Place the tray outside in an open space, away from animals and birds.

After 24 hours transfer the water back to the measuring cylinder and observe the difference. Record how much water was evaporated.

Repeat this experiment in 5 different days and record the amount of evaporated water per square foot. Also record the outdoor weather temperature on those days.

Your results table may look like this:

Calculate and write the average daily evaporation in the last row of your data table.

Make a graph:

You can use a bar graph to visually present your results. Make one vertical bar for each day you repeat your experiment. The height of bar will show the amount of daily evaporation on that day.

If for some reason such as rain or animals your results become invalid, you will have to ignore the results of such days. If you have time, you may repeat your test a few more days to have at least 5 days of reliable results.

Materials and Equipment:

Material used in the above experiments are:

• Water Color
• Clear plastic container with 2 compartment
• Plastic aquarium
• Light bulb (100 watt) to simulate sunlight

Results of Experiment (Observation):

Experiments are often done in series. A series of experiments can be done by changing one variable a different amount each time. A series of experiments is made up of separate experimental “runs.” During each run you make a measurement of how much the variable affected the system under study. For each run, a different amount of change in the variable is used. This produces a different amount of response in the system. You measure this response, or record data, in a table for this purpose. This is considered “raw data” since it has not been processed or interpreted yet. When raw data gets processed mathematically, for example, it becomes results.

Calculations:

No calculations are required for this project.

Summary of Results:

Summarize what happened. This can be in the form of a table of processed numerical data, or graphs. It could also be a written statement of what occurred during experiments.

It is from calculations using recorded data that tables and graphs are made. Studying tables and graphs, we can see trends that tell us how different variables cause our observations. Based on these trends, we can draw conclusions about the system under study. These conclusions help us confirm or deny our original hypothesis. Often, mathematical equations can be made from graphs. These equations allow us to predict how a change will affect the system without the need to do additional experiments. Advanced levels of experimental science rely heavily on graphical and mathematical analysis of data. At this level, science becomes even more interesting and powerful.

Conclusion:

Using the trends in your experimental data and your experimental observations, try to answer your original questions. Is your hypothesis correct? Now is the time to pull together what happened, and assess the experiments you did.

Related Questions & Answers:

What you have learned may allow you to answer other questions. Many questions are related. Several new questions may have occurred to you while doing experiments. You may now be able to understand or verify things that you discovered when gathering information for the project. Questions lead to more questions, which lead to additional hypothesis that need to be tested.

Possible Errors:

If you did not observe anything different than what happened with your control, the variable you changed may not affect the system you are investigating. If you did not observe a consistent, reproducible trend in your series of experimental runs there may be experimental errors affecting your results. The first thing to check is how you are making your measurements. Is the measurement method questionable or unreliable? Maybe you are reading a scale incorrectly, or maybe the measuring instrument is working erratically.

If you determine that experimental errors are influencing your results, carefully rethink the design of your experiments. Review each step of the procedure to find sources of potential errors. If possible, have a scientist review the procedure with you. Sometimes the designer of an experiment can miss the obvious.

References:

List of web references

Water Vapor

Q. Since this project doesn’t have results or data, then how would I set up the project board. Is there an Abstract, conclusion or a purpose?

A. In a display project you do the experiments and write down your observations as the experiment results. Project board will have drawings, pictures and writings similar to what you have in your project guide. In addition to that you also write your observations and what you have learned from your experiments. If you need to have a data table, you can repeat the experiment 2 in 5 different days and record the amount of water displacement every day. Then convert the values to the ratio of total water in the container.

It is always important for students, parents and teachers to know a good source for science related equipment and supplies they need for their science activities. Please note that many online stores for science supplies are managed by MiniScience.

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Make a Mini Water Cycle Model

July 30, 2012 By Emma Vanstone 17 Comments

The water cycle is an amazing process that we started to talk about when discussing evaporation a couple of weeks ago.

Today we will have a go at creating our own mini water cycle model .

What is the water cycle?

Water on Earth is recycled over and over again; it’s always moving. It is this recycling process that we call the water cycle .

1. Evaporation – water evaporates into the air

The sun heats water on land, rivers, lakes and seas and turns it into water vapour.

The water vapour rises into the air.

2. Condensation – water vapour condenses into clouds

As water vapour in the air cools down, it turns back into tiny drops of water. These tiny drops of water form clouds.

3. Precipitation – water falls as rain

As the amount of water vapour in the clouds increases, the clouds get heavier and heavier. Water falls back to the ground as rain, sleet, or snow if it’s cold enough.

4. Water returns to the sea

As rainwater runs over the land back to rivers and the sea, some is taken up by and used by plants, and some returns to the air through transpiration. Most rainwater collects in lakes or rivers and flows back to the sea for the water cycle to start again.

The arrow from the sea to the sun – evaporation

The arrow from the sun to the clouds – condensation

The arrow from the Clouds to the mountains – precipitation

Make a water cycle model

You’ll need.

A plastic bowl (mixing bowl size)

How to make a water cycle model

It is best to do this outside in a sunny place.

1. Place the mug in the bottom of the bowl

2. Add water around the mug so that it comes up to ⅔rd of the mug – if you can draw on the bowl, mark where the water level is.

3. Cover the bowl tightly in clingfilm and fasten it in place with the string.

4. Watch what happens!

How does the water cycle model work?

You should find that you can see condensation drops of water on the top of the cling film and that the water level has lowered, proving that evaporation has taken place. The condensation droplets are the clouds. They will be dripping back into the bowl, but you should find some water in the cup (your mountains), demonstrating precipitation!

More Water Cycle Activities

Can you make a water cycle in a bag? Draw the sun and a cloud on a bag. Add some water and stick it to the inside of a sunny window. Watch as the water evaporates and condenses inside the bag!

Water Cycle Worksheet

Print the water cycle diagram below, cut out the squares and stick them in the correct place!

We love this LEGO water cycle model from EDventures, and this raining sponge from The Pinterested Parent is cool too.

Did you know you can measure rainfall with a simple rain gauge ?

Don’t forget to try my other weather science experiments too!

Last Updated on January 26, 2023 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

August 01, 2012 at 8:40 am

What a great activity! Love your diagram, too.

Thanks for sharing with Learning Laboratory at Mama Smiles =)

August 09, 2012 at 11:29 am

Thank you. xx

August 02, 2012 at 12:06 am

Such a great way to introduce education into play. All my kids love science experiments.

Its lovely to see them enjoy science isn’t it?

August 02, 2012 at 5:21 pm

Ooh fabulous project – as always!

Thank you for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!

Thanks Maggy 🙂

August 06, 2012 at 11:56 am

LOVE Science experiments to get kids interested in Science! We have this on our list to try too. Thanks for sharing it at TGIF! Have a great week Beth =-)

August 09, 2012 at 11:30 am

So glad you liked it Beth!

August 10, 2012 at 3:05 am

What a great activity!! We will have to give this one a try. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!

August 11, 2012 at 5:27 am

I’m pinning this to do with my boys in the near future, and I’m featuring on The Sunday Showcase tomorrow. Thank you for sharing!

August 11, 2012 at 12:51 pm

Great idea! I’ll have to try it with my girls!

February 27, 2013 at 5:50 pm

i loved it❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

March 18, 2015 at 5:54 pm

This was So cool!!!!!!!!!!! I love science!

March 18, 2017 at 8:42 pm

this is an excellent hands on activity to explain the process of the water cycle. students get to see each process and lean from observations. It is very engaging.

June 17, 2017 at 1:07 am

How long should the bowl be left outside before students check it?

February 28, 2018 at 6:01 pm

This is awful so awful lets go science yay yippie kai yaaa

PS your unloved

May 15, 2018 at 5:51 am

Such a scenic view ,looks great. Lovely.

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Water Cycle

The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, is the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. The water cycle is driven by solar energy and is essential for the maintenance of life on Earth. The mass of water on Earth remains relatively constant over time, but the distribution of water into the major reservoirs of ice, fresh water, saline water (salt water), and atmospheric water varies depending on a variety of climatic variables.

The physical processes of evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, surface runoff, and subsurface flow transport water from one reservoir to another, such as from a river to the ocean or from the ocean to the atmosphere. As a result, the water undergoes several transformations, including liquid, solid (ice), and vapor. The ocean is vital to the water cycle because it accounts for 86% of global evaporation.

The water cycle describes how water evaporates from the earth’s surface, rises into the atmosphere, cools and condenses into rain or snow in clouds, and then falls back to the earth’s surface as precipitation. Water that falls on land collects in rivers and lakes, soil, and porous rock layers, and much of it flows back into the oceans to evaporate. The cycling of water in and out of the atmosphere is an important aspect of Earth’s weather patterns.

The water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle, is the process by which water moves through the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, land, and living organisms. It is a continuous process that involves the following steps:

• Evaporation: This is the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or vapor form. It occurs when the sun’s energy heats up the surface water of the Earth, causing it to evaporate and rise into the atmosphere.
• Condensation: When the water vapor rises into the atmosphere, it cools and forms clouds. This is called condensation, as the water vapor changes from a gas back into a liquid.
• Precipitation: When the clouds become saturated with water vapor, they release the water back to the Earth in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
• Infiltration: When precipitation falls on the ground, some of it is absorbed into the soil, where it can be taken up by plants or recharge groundwater.
• Runoff: The rest of the precipitation that does not infiltrate the soil runs off the surface of the land and flows into rivers, lakes, and oceans.
• Transpiration: Plants absorb water through their roots and release it into the atmosphere through a process called transpiration. This water vapor then becomes a part of the water cycle.

The water cycle is an essential process for life on Earth, as it ensures the constant supply of fresh water for plants, animals, and humans. However, human activities such as deforestation, urbanization, and climate change are affecting the water cycle and leading to changes in the Earth’s water balance.

The water cycle involves energy exchange, which results in temperature changes. Water evaporates, absorbing energy from its surroundings and cooling the environment. It releases energy and warms the environment when it condenses. These heat exchanges have an impact on the climate.

The cycle’s evaporative phase purifies water, which then replenishes the land with freshwater. The movement of liquid water and ice transports minerals all over the world. It is also involved in reshaping the Earth’s geological features through processes such as erosion and sedimentation. The water cycle is also necessary for the survival of most life and ecosystems on Earth.

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