9.3 The water cycle

1. Why is water important?
2. What things do you associate with water?
3. What are the three states of water?
4. Where can you find water in these three states? Fill the table.
5. What are the processes through which water can change from one state to another?

Terms

1. condensation
2. evaporation
3. infiltration
4. precipitation
5. surface runoff
6. transpiration

Definitions

a)      when liquid changes into gas or steam Cloze (1): condensationtranspirationprecipitationinfiltrationevaporationsurface runoff JXUwMDNkJXUwMDEzJXUwMDE3JXUwMDExJXUwMDFmJXUwMDFkJXUwMDEzJXUwMDE1JXUwMDFkJXUwMDA2JXUwMDAx

b)      loss of water vapor, e.g. from the surface of leaves Cloze (2): condensationtranspirationprecipitationinfiltrationevaporationsurface runoff JXUwMDJjJXUwMDA2JXUwMDEzJXUwMDBmJXUwMDFkJXUwMDAzJXUwMDE5JXUwMDFiJXUwMDEzJXUwMDE1JXUwMDFkJXUwMDA2JXUwMDAx

c)      for example rain, snow, sleet or hail Cloze (3): condensationtranspirationprecipitationinfiltrationevaporationsurface runoff JXUwMDI4JXUwMDAyJXUwMDE3JXUwMDA2JXUwMDBhJXUwMDE5JXUwMDE5JXUwMDFkJXUwMDE1JXUwMDE1JXUwMDFkJXUwMDA2JXUwMDAx

d)     is the flow of water that occurs when excess stormwater, meltwater, or other sources flows over the earth's surface.  Cloze (4): condensationtranspirationprecipitationinfiltrationevaporationsurface runoff JXUwMDJiJXUwMDA2JXUwMDA3JXUwMDE0JXUwMDA3JXUwMDAyJXUwMDA2JXUwMDQ1JXUwMDUyJXUwMDA3JXUwMDFiJXUwMDAxJXUwMDA5JXUwMDAw

e)      the process of moving into or passing through something.  Cloze (5): condensationtranspirationprecipitationinfiltrationevaporationsurface runoff JXUwMDMxJXUwMDA3JXUwMDA4JXUwMDBmJXUwMDA1JXUwMDE4JXUwMDA2JXUwMDEzJXUwMDE1JXUwMDFkJXUwMDA2JXUwMDAx

f)       when gas changes into liquid, usually when it becomes cooler Cloze (6): condensationtranspirationprecipitationinfiltrationevaporationsurface runoff JXUwMDNiJXUwMDBjJXUwMDAxJXUwMDBhJXUwMDAxJXUwMDBiJXUwMDFkJXUwMDEyJXUwMDE1JXUwMDFkJXUwMDA2JXUwMDAx

The hydrologic cycle (or water cycle) shows the movements of water among land, oceans and air. The energy that drives the cycle is provided by solar radiation. The sun heats up the surface of oceans and causes water to Cloze (1): condensesevaporateevaporationinfiltrateprecipitationtranspirationrun off JXUwMDNkJXUwMDEzJXUwMDE3JXUwMDExJXUwMDFmJXUwMDFkJXUwMDEzJXUwMDE1JXUwMDEx , in other words to change from liquid state to gaseous state. As water vapor rises, it gradually cools down, and Cloze (2): condensesevaporateevaporationinfiltrateprecipitationtranspirationrun off JXUwMDNiJXUwMDBjJXUwMDAxJXUwMDBhJXUwMDAxJXUwMDBiJXUwMDFkJXUwMDE2JXUwMDE2 around condensation nuclei (salt crystals or tiny particles of dust).

Once clouds are saturated, Cloze (3): condensesevaporateevaporationinfiltrateprecipitationtranspirationrun off JXUwMDI4JXUwMDAyJXUwMDE3JXUwMDA2JXUwMDBhJXUwMDE5JXUwMDE5JXUwMDFkJXUwMDE1JXUwMDE1JXUwMDFkJXUwMDA2JXUwMDAx (eg. rain or snow) starts to fall.

Precipitation falls over oceans and land. When precipitation reaches the surface of land, the water cycle can continue in four possible ways. First, it can Cloze (4): condensesevaporateevaporationinfiltrateprecipitationtranspirationrun off JXUwMDJhJXUwMDA3JXUwMDFiJXUwMDRlJXUwMDRmJXUwMDA5JXUwMDAw from higher elevations and be collected in surface rivers or lakes, or be transported to oceans and seas. Second, the water reaching the surface in the form of precipitation can Cloze (5): condensesevaporateevaporationinfiltrateprecipitationtranspirationrun off JXUwMDMxJXUwMDA3JXUwMDA4JXUwMDBmJXUwMDA1JXUwMDE4JXUwMDA2JXUwMDEzJXUwMDE1JXUwMDEx the soil. The third option is Cloze (6): condensesevaporateevaporationinfiltrateprecipitationtranspirationrun off JXUwMDNkJXUwMDEzJXUwMDE3JXUwMDExJXUwMDFmJXUwMDFkJXUwMDEzJXUwMDE1JXUwMDFkJXUwMDA2JXUwMDAx from lakes, rivers or land surfaces, and the fourth one is Cloze (7): condensesevaporateevaporationinfiltrateprecipitationtranspirationrun off JXUwMDJjJXUwMDA2JXUwMDEzJXUwMDBmJXUwMDFkJXUwMDAzJXUwMDE5JXUwMDFiJXUwMDEzJXUwMDE1JXUwMDFkJXUwMDA2JXUwMDAx from vegetation. Some of this evaporated and transpired water forms clouds and precipitation falls, in other words the cycle starts again.