Water Cycle Flashcards

Water Cycle Components

• Condensation: The transformation of water vapor into liquid, which forms clouds.
• Precipitation: Water falling to Earth in forms such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
• Evaporation: Water changing from liquid to gas due to heat energy.

Additional Water Cycle Processes

• Runoff: Excess water flowing over land, reaching bodies of water like rivers and lakes without infiltrating into the soil.
• Transpiration: Release of water vapor from plant leaves through stomata, contributing to atmospheric moisture.
• Infiltration: Process where precipitation absorbs into the soil and rocks, moving through cracks and pores.

Key Terms and Definitions

• Humidity: Measures the amount of water vapor in the air, impacting weather and climate.
• Dewpoint: Specific temperature where air becomes saturated, causing condensation to initiate.
• Groundwater: Water stored in soil and rock layers beneath the surface, filling cracks and spaces.

Related Natural Phenomena

• Dew: Water droplets forming on surfaces above freezing temperatures due to condensation.
• Frost: Ice crystals forming on surfaces when temperatures fall below freezing, resulting from condensation.

Energy Source

• Sun: Essential driving force behind the water cycle, providing the necessary energy for evaporation processes.

Water Cycle Overview

• Water Cycle: Continuous journey of water from Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back, driven by natural processes and energy from the sun.
• Saturated: Condition where materials hold the maximum amount of water or moisture they can absorb, influencing saturation levels in soil.