The Water Cycle and Weather

Mr. Leslie’s Science Class

Three States of Water

• ¾ of Earth’s surface is covered by water.

• Water is found on Earth in three forms:

• Solid• Liquid • Gas

• Streams• Lakes• Rivers

Water vapor (you cannot see it)

Evaporation

• Evaporation is the change of state from liquid to gas

• Even on a cold day, heat from the Sun can make some water from a lake evaporate.

Condensation

• Condensation is the change of state from gas to liquid.

• When water vapor, is in the air, connects with cool air, the water vapor condenses back to liquid form.

Water Cycle

• The water cycle is the movement of water into the air as water vapor and back to Earth’s surface as precipitation.

Precipitation

• Is any form of water that falls from clouds to Earth’s surface

Sleet

or

Types of Clouds• Stratus

• Cumulus• Cirrus

• Cumulonimbus

Cloud Website - NASA

Stratus Clouds• Stratus clouds are low-level clouds that

form in layers. Stratus clouds usually bring rain.

Cumulus Clouds• Cumulus clouds are fluffy and have flat

bases. They form low in the sky. They usually mean fair/good weather.

• They look like animals!!!

Cirrus Clouds• Cirrus clouds are thin, feathery clouds

made of ice crystals. They form high in the sky. Cirrus clouds indicate fair/good weather.

Cumulonimbus Clouds• Cumulonimbus clouds are normally the

tallest clouds and bring thunderstorms.

Questions to answer

• Tall clouds that produce thunderstorms are called?

• What are the four types of precipitation?• What are the stages of the Water Cycle?• What is happening when you glass of

water has drops of water running down the outside of your glass?

• What are the three states of water?