The Water CycleThe Water Cycle

SunshineSunshine

The sun will shine The sun will shine on water located in on water located in various areas various areas making it warmer. making it warmer. This causes the This causes the water to eventually water to eventually turn into vapor. turn into vapor. This vapor This vapor becomes a cloud.becomes a cloud.

EvaporationEvaporation

Evaporation occurs Evaporation occurs when the sun heats when the sun heats water turning it water turning it into water vapor. into water vapor. This vapor leaves This vapor leaves its source and its source and becomes part of a becomes part of a cloud.cloud.

RainRain

As evaporation As evaporation occurs, the water occurs, the water vapor becomes vapor becomes clouds. These clouds. These clouds get so full of clouds get so full of water that water water that water droplets (rain) starts droplets (rain) starts to fall. It falls onto to fall. It falls onto the ground and into the ground and into lakes, rivers,and lakes, rivers,and streams.streams.

SnowSnow

When the air is When the air is really cold, it might really cold, it might snow rather than snow rather than rain. It will remain rain. It will remain on top of the on top of the ground until it ground until it melts. It will then melts. It will then turn into water and turn into water and run into streams run into streams and rivers.and rivers.

Mountains and IceMountains and Ice

The snow that falls The snow that falls onto mountains onto mountains may turn into ice may turn into ice because of the cold because of the cold temperatures. This temperatures. This ice and snow may ice and snow may form glaciers.form glaciers.

Rivers and StreamsRivers and Streams

Rivers and steams Rivers and steams carry water to carry water to reservoirs, lakes reservoirs, lakes and finally to the and finally to the ocean. Many carry ocean. Many carry the water the water thousands of miles.thousands of miles.

OceansOceans

Oceans cover about ¾ Oceans cover about ¾ of the surface of the of the surface of the Earth. When the fresh Earth. When the fresh water gets to the water gets to the ocean it mixes and ocean it mixes and becomes salty. The becomes salty. The sun shines on the sun shines on the oceans and warms the oceans and warms the water. The water water. The water becomes vapor and becomes vapor and forms a cloud.forms a cloud.