Understanding the Water Cycle

Name:

Date:

Watch youtube video -

Water Cycle | How the Hydrologic Cycle Works

📚 Part 1: Multiple Choice

1. Which process turns liquid water into water vapour?

Evaporation

Condensation

Precipitation

Infiltration

2. Where is most of Earth's water stored?

Oceans

Atmosphere

Glaciers and ice sheets

Rivers and lakes

3. Which of the following is a form of precipitation?

Rain

Snow

Hail

All of the above

4. Check all that return water from plants or soil back into the air:

Evaporation

Transpiration

Condensation

Runoff

✏️ Part 2: Short Read and Questions

Short read: The water cycle is a continuous series of flows and stores. Water moves between stores such as the oceans, ice sheets, rivers, soil and underground aquifers. Heat from the Sun drives evaporation and, together with plant transpiration (called evapotranspiration), returns water to the atmosphere. In the atmosphere water condenses into clouds and then falls as precipitation (rain, snow, hail). Precipitation may run off into rivers, infiltrate into soil and recharge groundwater, or be intercepted by plants.

5. In one sentence, explain what is meant by "flows and stores" in the water cycle.

6. Name two places where water can be temporarily stored, and one way water leaves each of those stores.

7. Why do scientists say the same water has been on Earth for millions of years? (Use the short read to help.)

8. Draw and label a simple diagram of the water cycle. Include: evaporation, condensation (clouds), precipitation, runoff and infiltration.