The Water Cycle Flashcards
The water cycle
The water cycle is the repeated movement of water through earth in different forms.
Evaporation
Evaporation is the changing of liquid water into water vapor.
Condensation
When water vapor turns into liquid water. ( cloud form)
Precipitation
Water falls from clouds as rain, snow,sleet, or hail.
Sublimation
Ice changing into water vapor with out first melting
Run off
Water flowing down hill. Water flowing down into rivers, lakes, streams, or ponds.
Water vapor
Is water as an invisible gas.
Transpiration
It is the process by which plants absorb water through their roots, then water droplets stay on their leaves. [ THE PLANT IS PRETTY MUCH SWEATING. ]
Fog
A cloud at ground level fog forms when air near the ground cools the more water droplets that condense the thicker the fog.
Cumulus clouds
Mid altitude: small white puffy balls- look like cotton balls brings fair weather
Stratus clouds
Low altitude, look like gray blankets covering the sky; brings light rain or drizzle
Cirrus clouds
Thin, wispy, and white: high altitude cloud; brings fair weather, looks like little feathers
Vertical clouds
Thunderheads/cumulonimbus: grow vertically, stretch from 1000 to 12000 meters; can be very dark in color; brings thunderstorms
Rain
It starts out as ice crystals,( snow)
Turns to rain if the air temp is above 32* F or 0*C
Freezing Rain
It starts out as ice crystals then into rain drops air near the ground is cold rain freezes when it touches an object.also called ice storms
Hail
Strong winds blow raindrops to the top of a cloud. It continues to happen and the ice gets bigger. Until the ice is to heavy it falls from the cloud.
Snow
Starts out as ice crystals, stays ice crystals as long as the air temp is below 0C or 32F
Sleet
Starts as ice crystals changes to raindrops ice cools and the raindrops freeze, frozen raindrops
