The Water Cycle

Mandek Richardson University of South Florida STARS Program

The Water CycleCould you be drinking the same water a saber tooth tiger lapped up?

What do you think? Is the water we have on earth today the same water that was here millions of years ago?

Are you drinking the same water a dinosaur drank? Water on earth moves in a continuous cycle. This is called THE WATER CYCLE. There is about the same amount of water on earth now that there was when the dinosaurs roamed our planet.

Key TermsEvaporation Condensation Transpiration Heat Energy Solar Energy Precipitation

What is a cycle?A cycle is any series of events that keeps going around and repeatedForms of Water

What drives the water cycle?

The SunHow does liquid water change into vapor that can go up into the atmosphere?EvaporationTranspiration90%10%What percent of the water in the atmosphere comes from evaporation?8Evaporation Evaporation is the process in which water is turned from its liquid form to its vapor form

Does this require energy?

Transpiration Transpiration is the process by which plants return water to the atmosphere. After absorbing water from the ground, plants release water through their leaves. Transpiration helps plants stay cool, in the same way perspiration keeps humans and animals cool.

Condensation Condensation is when water changes from its vapor form to its liquid form

Does this require energy?

What part does condensation play in the water cycle?

Cloud Formation What happens when clouds get too heavy?

Precipitation Types of Precipitation

EvaporationThe vapor risesCondensationThe Clouds formPrecipitationThe rain falls

TranspirationThe movement through plants

Last Stage of Water Cycle

Water carried to ocean by streams, rivers and ground water