Water Cycle Vocabulary

Front

ground water

Back

water held underground in soil or rock.

Front

condensation

Back

the process by which water changes from a gas to a liquid state.

Front

precipitation

Back

water that falls from clouds in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

Front

sun

Back

thermal energy that drives the water cycle.

Front

runoff

Back

excess water, not absorbed by the soil, that flows downhill.

Front

evaporation

Back

the change of water from a liquid state to a gas state, due to an increase in temperature.

Front

water cycle

Back

the path water takes, and the changes it goes through, as it cycles through the environment.

Front

transpiration

Back

the process by which water is absorbed by plants and then released as vapor into the atmosphere.

Front

aquifer

Back

a layer of rock or soil that can hold and transmit water.

Front

humidity

Back

the amount of water vapor present in the air.