The Flow of H₂O!

​💦 The Water Cycle

Learn how water moves around our Earth — again and again!

The water cycle is the way water moves around our planet.
It never stops — water is always changing form and moving through the air, land, and oceans.

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💡 Key idea: It’s a cycle, which means it goes around and around!

​What Is the Water Cycle?

☀️ Evaporation happens when the sun heats up water in oceans, lakes, or puddles.
The water turns into water vapor (a gas) and rises into the air.

Example:
Have you ever seen a puddle disappear on a hot day? That’s evaporation!

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Evaporation

🌥️ Condensation happens when water vapor cools down and changes back into tiny water droplets.
These droplets come together to form clouds.

Example:
When you see drops on a cold glass of water — that’s condensation too!

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Condensation

🌧️ Precipitation happens when water droplets in clouds get too heavy and fall to the ground.
It can fall as:

• 🌧️ rain

• ❄️ snow

• 🌨️ sleet

• 🌧️ hail

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Precipitation

🌊 Collection is when water gathers in rivers, lakes, and oceans after it falls.
Some water also soaks into the ground — that’s groundwater!

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💡 Key idea: The water cycle starts over after collection.

Collection

🏞️ Surface runoff happens when rainwater flows over the ground and into rivers, lakes, or oceans.
It helps move water back to larger bodies of water.

Example:
After a storm, you might see water flowing down the street — that’s runoff!

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Surface Runoff

​💧 Groundwater is water that soaks into the soil and rocks under the ground.
It slowly moves underground until it joins rivers, lakes, or the ocean.

Example:
Some of the rain that falls on grass or dirt becomes groundwater!

Groundwater

​Review the Whole Cycle

Step	What Happens	Example
Evaporation	Sun heats water into vapor	Puddle dries up
Condensation	Vapor cools to form clouds	Clouds appear
Precipitation	Water falls to Earth	Rain, snow
Collection	Water gathers together	Rivers, oceans
Surface Runoff	Water flows over the land	Rain running downhill
Groundwater	Water soaks into the soil	Underground water

Multiple Choice

When water heats up and turns into vapor, which step is happening?

• Condensation

• Evaporation

• Precipitation

• Collection

Multiple Choice

Which step of the water cycle is happening when clouds form?

• Evaporation

• Condensation

• Precipitation

• Surface Runoff

Multiple Choice

When rainwater flows down a hill and into a river, that’s called:

• Evaporation

• Surface Runoff

• Groundwater

• Condensation

Multiple Choice

When water soaks into the ground, what do we call it?

• Collection

• Groundwater

• Condensation

• Precipitation

Multiple Choice

Which step puts water back into oceans and lakes after it falls?

• Condensation

• Collection

• Precipitation

• Evaporation

Match

Match the Step to Its Description!

• Evaporation

• Condensation

• Precipitation

• Collection

• Surface Runoff

Water turns into vapor and rises

Water in the air cools and forms clouds

Water falls to the ground as rain

Water collects in oceans and lakes

Water flows over land back into rivers

• Water turns into vapor and rises

• Water in the air cools and forms clouds

• Water falls to the ground as rain

• Water collects in oceans and lakes

• Water flows over land back into rivers