Vriend Water Cycle

Question 1

What energy drives the Water Cycle?

Answer 1

The sun’s energy drives the Water Cycle.

Question 2

Why is gravity important in the Water Cycle process.

Answer 2

Gravity enables the water to fall from the sky, to roll down the hillsides, to soak down underground to the aquifers and to eventually end up in ponds, rivers, lakes, oceans and seas to be returned to the skies later and repeat the process.

Question 3

The process by which water is taken in by plant roots, carried through plants from roots to small pores in the leaves where it changes to water vapor and is released to the atmosphere.

Answer 3

Transpiration - which is basically evaporation of water from plant leaves.

Question 4

The process by which water, heated by the sun, is changed to water vapor and floats up into the atmosphere is called

Answer 4

Evaporation

Question 5

List some forms of condensation.

Answer 5

Clouds, Dew and Fog

Question 6

Describe Sublimation

Answer 6

Sublimation is where a solid or gas skips the liquid state and changes from one to the other. Gas to a solid or solid to a gas.

Question 7

When rain falls on the land and is not soaked into the soil, the excess water rolls down hill and has a special name. What is the name?

Answer 7

Runoff

Question 8

Water soaking down into the soil is called

Answer 8

Infiltration

Question 9

What is precipitation?

Answer 9

Precipitation is caused by the action of gravity when water droplets in clouds become so heavy they begin to fall. Depending on the temperature, its form can be rain, snow, sleet, hail, mist or fog

Question 10

Most of Earth’s water vapor floats up into the atmosphere through a process called

Answer 10

Evaporation

Question 11

Why is condensation important to the Water Cycle?

Answer 11

Condensation is important because it is responsible for:

1. the formation of clouds in the atmosphere and
2. the movement of water from place to place.

Question 12

How does condensation occur?

Answer 12

Condensation is a change in the physical state of matter from the gas phase, water vapor, to the liquid phase, droplets in the clouds.
The water vapor rises, cools and attaches to particles in the atmosphere to form clouds.

Question 13

What is the difference between evaporation and transpiration?

Answer 13

Evaporation is water vapor rising from moisture on the ground or bodies of water.
Transpiration is water vapor rising from plants after moving through the plant.
Both are the major contributors to water in our atmosphere.