The Water Cycle
A lot of diagrams explaining the water cycle make it look so difficult to understand, but here is a simple diagram explaining the least complex process we could find.
So, basically, the cycle begins with evaporation. The sun evaporates water, meaning it transforms into water vapour (the gaseous form of water), and rises into the atmosphere. Another way of this happening is transpiration. This is when the water off trees and other plants is evaporated. After the water is evaporated, condensation begins. This is the process in which water vapour is turned back into a liquid. I guess you could say condensation turns water into "cloud". Then the water is precipitated as rain, hail or snow, meaning it falls back to the earth, and sometimes "soaks into the ground", which we call infiltration. The higher the condensation process takes place, the more solid the precipitated matter becomes. For example, if a cloud is higher in the sky, the condensated water is more likely to be hail or even snow, because it is so cold higher up in the sky. After precipitated, the water eventually ends up in a larger body of water, such as lakes, rivers or streams, and is evaporated - and the cycle begins again.
So, basically, the cycle begins with evaporation. The sun evaporates water, meaning it transforms into water vapour (the gaseous form of water), and rises into the atmosphere. Another way of this happening is transpiration. This is when the water off trees and other plants is evaporated. After the water is evaporated, condensation begins. This is the process in which water vapour is turned back into a liquid. I guess you could say condensation turns water into "cloud". Then the water is precipitated as rain, hail or snow, meaning it falls back to the earth, and sometimes "soaks into the ground", which we call infiltration. The higher the condensation process takes place, the more solid the precipitated matter becomes. For example, if a cloud is higher in the sky, the condensated water is more likely to be hail or even snow, because it is so cold higher up in the sky. After precipitated, the water eventually ends up in a larger body of water, such as lakes, rivers or streams, and is evaporated - and the cycle begins again.
Try it yourself!
Here's a way to make your own mini water cycle!
You will need:
What to do:
1. Put the bowl in a sunny place outside.
2. Using the pitcher or bucket, pour water into the bowl until it is about ¼
full.
3. Place the mug in the center of the bowl. Be careful not to splash any water into it.
4. Cover the top of the bowl tightly with the plastic wrap.
5. Tie the string around the bowl to hold the plastic wrap in place.
6. Watch the bowl to see what happens.
7. The "mist" that forms on the plastic wrap will change into larger drops of water that will begin to drip. (You can speed up the dripping by carefully moving the bowl – don't splash! – into the shade.) When this happens, continue watching for a few minutes, then carefully peel back the plastic. Is the coffee mug still empty? Water from the "ocean" of water in the bowl evaporated. It condensed to form misty "clouds" on the plastic wrap. When the clouds became saturated it "rained" into the mug!
You will need:
- a large metal or plastic bowl
- a pitcher or bucket
- a sheet of clear plastic wrap
- a dry ceramic mug (like a coffee mug)
- a long piece of string or large rubber band
- water
What to do:
1. Put the bowl in a sunny place outside.
2. Using the pitcher or bucket, pour water into the bowl until it is about ¼
full.
3. Place the mug in the center of the bowl. Be careful not to splash any water into it.
4. Cover the top of the bowl tightly with the plastic wrap.
5. Tie the string around the bowl to hold the plastic wrap in place.
6. Watch the bowl to see what happens.
7. The "mist" that forms on the plastic wrap will change into larger drops of water that will begin to drip. (You can speed up the dripping by carefully moving the bowl – don't splash! – into the shade.) When this happens, continue watching for a few minutes, then carefully peel back the plastic. Is the coffee mug still empty? Water from the "ocean" of water in the bowl evaporated. It condensed to form misty "clouds" on the plastic wrap. When the clouds became saturated it "rained" into the mug!