What change of state occurs in the clouds?
The water or ice that make up clouds travels into the sky within air as water vapor, the gas form of water. Water vapor gets into air mainly by evaporation – some of the liquid water from the ocean, lakes, and rivers turns into water vapor and travels in the air.
What is the change of state in the water cycle?
When water changes state in the water cycle, the total number of water particles remains the same. The changes of state include melting, sublimation, evaporation, freezing, condensation, and deposition. All changes of state involve the transfer of energy.
What is the clouds job in the water cycle?
The clouds (condensed water vapors) then pour down as precipitation due to wind or temperature change. This occurs because the water droplets combine to make bigger droplets. Also when the air cannot hold any more water, it precipitates.
What stage of the water cycle do clouds form?
Clouds are formed during the condensation stage of the water cycle.
Are clouds liquid or gas?
The water that makes up clouds is in liquid or ice form. The air around us is partially made up of invisible water vapor. It’s only when that water vapor cools and condenses into liquid water droplets or solid ice crystals that visible clouds form.
How does the phase change occur during the water cycle?
The phase change that accompanies water as it moves between its vapor, liquid, and solid form is exhibited in the arrangement of water molecules. Even though a cloud weighs tons, it doesn’t fall on you because the rising air responsible for its formation keeps the cloud floating in the air.
How does condensation occur in the water cycle?
Condensation occurs when water vapor in the atmosphere changes into a liquid state due to a difference between the temperature of the air and dew point. After water vapor enters the lower atmosphere from one of the above processes, rising air currents carry it upward where air is cooler, becoming more likely to condense to form cloud droplets.
When does evaporation occur in the hydrologic cycle?
Evaporation occurs when the physical state of water is changed from a liquid state to a gaseous state. A considerable amount of heat, about 600 calories of energy for each gram of water, is exchanged during the change of state.
Where does precipitation fall in the water cycle?
Some precipitation falls on saturated soil or is only able to infiltrate the Earth’s surface in the top, shallow soil layer, allowing the water to more easily reach and join surface waters flowing towards the oceans. One the other hand, some precipitation is able to permeate the Earth’s surface and percolate far enough down to reach aquifers.