Water Cycle and States of Matter

Precipitation

• Water that falls to Earth’s surface, including rain, sleet, snow, hail, and mist.

• Water vapor in the atmosphere that condenses into clouds.

• The process of water evaporating from the Earth's surface.

• Water that is stored in rivers and lakes.

Aquifer

• An underground layer of porous rock and/or sand that contains water.

• A surface water body that stores rainwater.

• A type of soil that is impermeable to water.

• A geological formation that is completely dry.

Sources of runoff

• Heavy rain, snowmelt, or excess irrigation water.

• Drought conditions leading to reduced water flow.

• Water conservation practices in agriculture.

• Urban development reducing natural water absorption.

States of matter

• Solid, liquid, and gas

• Plasma, solid, and liquid

• Solid, liquid, and crystal

• Gas, liquid, and vapor

Freezing

• Changing from a liquid to a solid.

• Changing from a solid to a liquid.

• Changing from a gas to a liquid.

• Changing from a liquid to a gas.

Evaporation

• Change from a liquid to a gas at temperatures below boiling.

• Change from a solid to a liquid at high temperatures.

• Change from a gas to a liquid at low temperatures.

• Change from a liquid to a solid at freezing point.

Reservoir

• A body of water, often an artificial lake, used to store water for human use.

• A natural depression that collects rainwater.

• A type of water treatment facility.

• A large container for storing oil.

Glacier

• A large, slowly moving body of snow and ice.

• A type of rock formation found in mountains.

• A weather phenomenon involving heavy rainfall.

• A large body of water surrounded by land.

Runoff

• Water that moves across the surface of land into streams or rivers, carrying pollutants from the soil.

• Water that is absorbed by the soil and used by plants.

• Water that evaporates from the surface of lakes and rivers.

• Water that is stored in underground aquifers.

Phase change

• A change from one state of matter to another, such as freezing, melting, evaporation, boiling, and condensation.

• A process where matter changes its color without altering its state.

• A reaction that occurs when two substances combine to form a new substance.

• A transformation that only occurs at absolute zero temperature.