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70% of the earth’s surface is covered with water.Look at the water cycle which shows how water moves between land, sea and clouds. The water cycle keeps rivers, streams, lakes and groundwater supplied with fresh water.

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The natural water cycle

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Heat from the sun changes liquid water into water vapour (gas). This is called evaporation. The water vapour then rises into the atmosphere. As the water vapour rises it cools down and changes from a gas to a liquid, and thus back into water droplets. This is called condensation. When these water droplets are in the atmosphere they join together and form clouds. When these droplets get too heavy to stay in the atmosphere they fall to the earth as either rain, hail or snow. This is called precipita-tion. Some of these water droplets fall into oceans, some into rivers and streams, some into lakes and dams, and some onto the land where it either seeps into the ground or runs off the surface into rivers, lakes, dams or the ocean. These water droplets can then be reheated by the sun and the water cycle begins again. Our earth is really Water Wise!

Look up and write down the meaning of the words:

Condensation:

Evaporation:

Precipitation:

QUIZ:1. When heated water droplets turn into 2. This process is called 3. Water vapour to form 4. Three forms of precipitation are 5. The water cycle is also known as the

Make your own water cycle: http://thewaterproject.org/resources/lesson-plans/create-a-mini-water-cycle.php

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The natural water cycle (continued)

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