Water Cycle Processes

Water Cycle

• Water that soaks into the soil and is stored underground is an example of collection in the water cycle.
• Plants play a role in the water cycle by releasing water vapor into the air through transpiration.
• A watershed is an area of land that drains all the streams and rainfall to a common outlet.

Weather and Climate

• Weather refers to the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place.
• Climate is the long-term average of weather in an area.
• A thermometer is used to measure temperature.
• Cumulonimbus clouds are often associated with thunderstorms.
• A cold front is a boundary where a cold air mass replaces a warm air mass.
• Wind is caused by differences in air pressure.
• A barometer measures air pressure.

Environmental Issues

• Pollution is an environmental issue related to the excessive use of chemicals that harm the environment and living organisms.
• Deforestation is the process of converting forests into non-forest land for human use.
• Biodiversity loss is the loss of biological diversity, including the extinction of plant and animal species.
• Climate change is an environmental issue primarily caused by the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels.
• Water is a renewable resource.

Scientific Disciplines

• Meteorology is the study of the Earth's atmosphere, weather patterns, and climate.
• Geology is the study of the Earth's physical structure and the processes that shape it.
• Ecology is the study of the interactions between living organisms and their environment.

Other Key Facts

• The ozone layer is depleted primarily due to CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons).
• Sustainable development is meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.