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The water cycle describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface in various states: liquid, solid, and gas. It involves processes such as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, driven by solar energy and gravity. Groundwater plays a crucial role in this cycle, providing water for ecosystems and human use.

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water-cycle-reading-material-grades-6-8

The water cycle describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface in various states: liquid, solid, and gas. It involves processes such as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, driven by solar energy and gravity. Groundwater plays a crucial role in this cycle, providing water for ecosystems and human use.

Uploaded by

turtlejang77
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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READING MATERIAL

Read About the Water Cycle

WHAT IS THE WATER CYCLE?


The water cycle is the path that all water follows as it moves around Earth in different
states. Liquid water is found in oceans, rivers, lakes, and underground. Solid water is
found as snow or ice. The gaseous form of water is found as water vapor in Earth’s
atmosphere.

To better understand the water cycle…

LET’S BREAK IT DOWN!

The Cycling of Water


Earth’s water is continuously being
moved on, above, and below the
surface of Earth. Water is always
changing states between liquid, gas
(vapor), and solid (ice). Water moves
and cycles between the ocean,
atmosphere, and land. Water
evaporates from the surface of
Earth, rises into the atmosphere,
cools and condenses, and falls again to the surface as precipitation.

The water falling on land moves along the surface in rivers and streams and collects in bodies
of water such as lakes and oceans. Most water that falls on the land soaks into the ground,
where it can spend long periods of time trapped in the spaces between rocks and soil.
Groundwater is the source of water for plants to grow, and humans have relied on groundwater
as a drinking source for thousands of years.

Page 1
Phase Changes
All matter is made of tiny moving
particles called molecules. All matter
can move from one state to another.
The three normal states of matter
are solid, liquid, and gas. However,
some matter may require extreme
temperatures and pressures in order
to change states. Water, like all
states of matter, requires the
addition or removal of energy to change states. When heat energy is added to water, ice melts
into a liquid and liquids evaporate into a gas. When heat is removed, gas condenses to a liquid
and liquids crystallize into a solid.

Phase changes between the states of matter happen when you reach certain points of
temperature and pressure. Water has a freezing and melting point of 0°C or 32°F. The freezing
point is when liquid water turns to solid ice, and the melting point is when solid ice turns to liquid
water. These are the same two transitions of states of matter between a solid and a liquid.
Water has a boiling and condensation point of 100°C or 212°F. The boiling point is when liquid
water turns into a gas, and the condensation point is when gas turns into a liquid. These are the
two transitions of states of matter between liquid water and the gas form of water (called water
vapor).

Sun Energy
The solar radiation that comes from
the Sun contains energy that drives
the water to move through the water
cycle. The Sun’s heat causes glaciers
and snow to melt into liquid water. It
also causes water to evaporate
from oceans, lakes, and streams. The
process of water evaporating from
the leaves of plants is called
transpiration. The Sun’s heat also warms water vapor, causing it to rise up through Earth’s
atmosphere, where it condenses back into liquid water and creates clouds. All of these
processes are driven by energy from the Sun and continually move water through the water
cycle.

Gravity and Water Collection


Gravity is an attractive force that
also helps move water through the
water cycle. Water is pulled down
from higher elevations by gravity
into rivers, streams, and
underground. Gravity also pulls
water down from the atmosphere
when it rains, snows, or hails. Most of
the water that falls to the ground will
soak into the ground and collect as underground water. When water reaches the ends of rivers
or streams, it will begin to collect in bodies of water such as lakes or oceans.

Groundwater Flow
Water is continually moving
underground downward and
sideways because of gravity and
pressure. Groundwater is a major
contributor to flow in many streams
and rivers and has a strong
influence on river and wetland
habitats for plants and animals.
People have relied on groundwater
for thousands of years as a source of drinking water and irrigation for agriculture.

The vast majority of groundwater occupies space between soil and rock particles. The ground
acts like a sponge as it soaks up water into these spaces. At a certain depth below the land
surface, larger spaces of collected groundwater can be found called aquifers. Water can also
hit areas underground that are denser or have less space for water storage such as nonporous
rock. This causes the water to flow in a more horizontal fashion, generally toward streams,
oceans, or deeper underground.

WATER CYCLE VOCABULARY

Evaporation The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or vapor.

Precipitation The process of water being released from clouds in the form of rain, hail or snow.

Condensation The process of water vapor turning into liquid water.

Gravity The force of attraction between two objects because of their masses.

Sun Energy Energy produced or radiated by the Sun.

Groundwater Water beneath the surface of the ground.

WATER CYCLE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

How does heat from the Sun turn liquid water into a gas called water vapor?
The energy from the Sun increases the energy of the water molecules when they are heated.
This causes the water molecules to vibrate or move faster until some of them escape to
become water vapor.

Explain how energy from the Sun drives the water cycle.
The Sun’s energy evaporates water into the atmosphere from all types of sources, including
bodies of water, plants, and animals. This water eventually falls back to Earth and moves along
Earth’s surface until it is evaporated again by the Sun. The energy from the Sun is a driving force
that gets the water cycling in and out of the atmosphere.

How do plants contribute to the water cycle?


Water travels from the soil, through the plant, and then evaporates from the leaves into the
atmosphere.

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