The Water Cycle

By: Juan Diego Salinas

 Next Generation Science Standards
MS-ESS2-4 Earth’s System
Objective: Develop a model to describe the cycling of water
through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the
force of gravity.

ESS2.C-4 The roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes

Objective: Water continually cycles among land, ocean, and
atmosphere via transpiration, evaporation, condensation, and
crystallization, as well as downhill flows on land.
 Water on Planet Earth

— Water on planet earth, both liquid and in frozen form, covers

approximately 75% of the Earth’s surface

— Large amounts of water has flowed on Earth for MANY,

MANY, MANY years
— About 3.8 billion years back, most of planet Earth’s existence
— Water is a vital substance on our planet that not only sets us
apart from other planets, but that is also a necessary ingredient
for the development of life
 The Work of Water
— Water is everywhere on Earth; It exists as gas, liquid, and solid
form

— Water is constantly being cycled through the ocean,

atmosphere, and land
— This process is known as the Water Cycle and it’s driven by the
energy from the sun
 Evaporation
The sun shines and heats the sea
 Evaporation
— Some of the water becomes water vapor
— The process by which water changes from liquid to a gas or vapor is called
Evaporation
— Water that evaporates from oceans, rivers, lakes, and moist soil rises up
into the atmosphere and forms clouds
 Transpiration
— Transpiration is evaporation of water from plant leaves
— Just as we release water vapor when we breathe, plants do so too!
We just call it Transpiration
 Condensation
— Condensation is the opposite of evaporation

— When the water rises up in the form of gas, as it gets higher into the atmosphere, it starts to cool and
becomes liquid again
— This process by which water vapor in the air is changed into liquid water its called Condensation

— Condensation results in the formation of clouds

— Condensation is a crucial step in the water cycle because it makes water return to the Earth’s surface
 Precipitation
— When the temperature and the atmospheric pressure are right, tiny water droplets form
larger water droplets that fall back to the Earth, pulled by gravity
— This release of water droplets from clouds its called Precipitation

— Precipitation is released from clouds in the form of rain, freezing rain, snow, or hail.
— Most precipitation falls as rain and it is the primary connection between atmospheric
water to the Earth
 Crystallization
— Snow is a special kind of precipitation
— Sometimes its called Crystallization

— Crystallization is the process by which a substance becomes a

solid
— In crystallization, crystals are formed.

Photo by Pexels
 Surface Runoff
— Melted snow and rainfall create small streams of water that run into
larger bodies of water, such as a river, and eventually the ocean
— This process its called Runoff
— Water moves from highlands to lowlands
 Infiltration & Groundwater
— Groundwater begins as precipitation

— A portion of the water that falls as rain and snow infiltrates into the subsurface soil and rock

— Some water that infiltrates remains in the shallow soil layer, some other water infiltrate deeper and
forms groundwater storage

— The groundwater storage stays there for long periods before returning to the surface or seeping into
water bodies, such as streams and oceans
— Much of our drinking water comes from this groundwater
— Plants also absorb water from the soil
 The Water Cycle
— Evaporation, Condensation,
Precipitation, Surface runoff,
Transpiration, and Groundwater
are all parts of the Water Cycle

— The Water Cycle is a complex

process that has existed on planet
Earth since water has existed

— It is because of this Water Cycle

that we never run out of water
rain and why oceans never
overflow

— Water is a crucial element for life

on our planet

— Next time you see water, in any

type of form say:

“Thank you water for being here!”

 References
MS-ESS2-4 Earth’s Systems. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2018, from https://www.nextgenscience.org/pe/ms-ess2-4-earths-systems

NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press.

The Water Cycle. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2018, from https://pmm.nasa.gov/education/water-cycle

Perlman, H., & USGS. (2018, February 13). Water Properties and Measurements. Retrieved March 19, 2018, from http:// water.usgs.gov/edu/

waterproperties.html