Water Cycle

• Sun is the power-plug meaning it gives energy to all things!
  • Energy from the water cycle comes from the sun
  • The Sun is an abiotic factor (abiotic means nonliving)
  • The sun transfers heat through radiation
• Water Cycle includes: Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Transpiration, Runoff/Collection
  • Evaporation: Liquid to Gas
    • Water evaporates in the atmosphere from bodies of water and goes into the atmosphere
      • A puddle "disappearing" on a hot day is an example of evaporation
    • Water in the atmosphere is known as water vapor (which is in the gas state of matter)
    • When there is a lot of water vapor in the air (moisture) the air around us is muggy and humid
    • When there is little sunlight, evaporation will occur more slowly
  • Condensation: Gas to Liquid
    • When water vapor cools or loses heat energy, it condenses and creates clouds
    • Condensation occurs when water vapor changes back to liquid form
    • When water vapor from the air hits a cold surface (like a can of cold soda) condensation occurs and a thin film of moisture forms on the surface of the can
  • Precipitation: Any liquid that falls from the sky
    • Precipitation is both a key water cycle component AND an important weather condition
    • When temperatures drop precipitation can change from rain to snow
  • Transpiration: When plants release water from their leaves
    • Water that is stored into plants, trees, shrubs, grass and will “sweat” when the sun’s energy increases
• Runoff: When water runs over land
• Groundwater: Water that is soaked into the ground
• Collection: When precipitation is collected in rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans

Clouds

• Cirrus: Wispy, high in the sky, has ice crystals
  • Does not bring rain
  • Cirrus clouds are the highest clouds
  • they are icy and thin because they are so high in the sky
• Cumulus: Cotton clouds, puffy
  • does not bring rain
• Cumulonimbus: Thunderheads, billowing towers of clouds
  • Brings precipitation, thunder, lightening, and storms
  • Nimbus means rain
• Stratus: A blanket of clouds that cover the sky
  • Brings long periods of precipitation

Why are Clouds important

• During the day, the sun heats the earth.
• If skies are clear, more heat reaches the Earth's surface
• If skies are cloudy, less of the sun's energy is able to reach the Earth's surface, which causes the earth the heat up more slowly
• At night, clouds reflect heat and keep the ground warmer (like a blanket in the atmosphere)
• During the day, clouds make shade that can keep us cooler
• Studying clouds can help us know the weather

Poems/Acronyms to know

• Low = rain flows (referring to low pressure)
• High = clear dry skies (referring to high pressure)
• “WE” love wind (referring to wind traveling West to East)
• High to low the wind will blow and rain will flow!