Water Cycle

Front

What do you call the land that water flows across on its way to a larger body of water?

Back

Watershed: An area of land where all the water that falls will drain into a common outlet, such as a river or lake.

Front

Snow, sleet, hail, and rain are all examples of ________________.

Back

Precipitation: Any form of water, liquid or solid, that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the ground.

Front

When water is heated and turns into a gas, what is this process called?

Back

Evaporation: The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or vapor.

Front

What is the term for the movement of water past the soil going deep into the groundwater?

Back

Infiltration: The process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil.

Front

What is the biggest force driving the water cycle?

Back

Solar energy from the Sun: The primary energy source that powers the water cycle through processes like evaporation.

Front

What is the process called when water vapor cools and changes back into liquid water?

Back

Condensation: The process by which water vapor in the air is changed into liquid water.

Front

What do we call the water that flows over the ground surface to reach rivers and lakes?

Back

Runoff: Water that flows over the ground surface and returns to bodies of water.

Front

What is the term for the process where plants release water vapor into the atmosphere?

Back

Transpiration: The process by which moisture is carried through plants from roots to small pores on the underside of leaves.

Front

What is the term for the accumulation of water in a particular area?

Back

Accumulation: The process in which water collects in large amounts, such as in lakes, rivers, or aquifers.

Front

What is the term for the process of water changing from a solid to a gas without becoming liquid?

Back

Sublimation: The process where ice or snow changes directly into water vapor.