The Water Cycle

What percentage of Earth's water is contained in the oceans?

• 60%

• 70%

• 50%

• 80%

Which process describes water falling onto the surface of the Earth in forms like rain, snow, and hail?

• Precipitation

• Condensation

• Transpiration

• Evaporation

What is the term used to describe the evaporation from soil and water surfaces, plus transpiration from plants?

• Percolation

• Evaporanspiration

• Condensation

• Infiltration

How much of the Earth's fresh water is stored in ice sheets and glaciers?

• Half

• One-fourth

• Two-thirds

• One-third

What happens to precipitation that falls on and over land but is intercepted by vegetation?

• It evaporates immediately

• It is absorbed by the plants

• It runs off into rivers

• It infiltrates the soil

What is the primary reason there is life on Earth according to the text?

• Because of the atmosphere

• Because of the perfect water cycle

• Because of the sunlight

• Because of the soil quality

What is the name of the underground aquifer mentioned that runs underneath parts of eight states from South Dakota to Texas?

• Mississippi River Basin

• Ogallala-High Plains

• Sierra Nevada

• Great Lakes

What is the process called when water is turned from a liquid into a gas or vapor by the heat of the sun?

• Precipitation

• Condensation

• Transpiration

• Evaporation

What happens to the water that percolates into the ground?

• It remains stationary

• It turns into ice

• It evaporates immediately

• It moves sideways or laterally

What are the two words used to summarize what is known about the Water Cycle?

• Evaporation and Condensation

• Rivers and Lakes

• Flows and Stores

• Clouds and Rain