Is the water cycle a circle?
The water cycle is often taught as a simple circular cycle of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
What is the circle of water?
The water cycle is the path that all water follows as it moves around Earth in different states. Liquid water is found in oceans, rivers, lakes—and even underground. Solid ice is found in glaciers, snow, and at the North and South Poles. Water vapor—a gas—is found in Earth’s atmosphere.
How would you describe the water cycle?
The water cycle describes how water evaporates from the surface of the earth, rises into the atmosphere, cools and condenses into rain or snow in clouds, and falls again to the surface as precipitation. The cycling of water in and out of the atmosphere is a significant aspect of the weather patterns on Earth.
Why is the water cycle described as a cycle?
The water cycle , also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the continuous movement of water as it makes a circuit from the oceans to the atmosphere to the Earth and on again. The sun, which drives the water cycle, heats water in the oceans. Some of it evaporates as vapor into the air.
How do you explain the water cycle to kindergarten?
A summary of the water cycle
- The heat of the sun provides energy to make the water cycle work.
- The sun evaporates water from the oceans into water vapor.
- This invisible vapor rises into the atmosphere, where the air is colder.
- The colder air causes water vapor to condense into water droplets and clouds.
What happens to water in the water cycle?
Currents high up in the air move these clouds around the globe. The water cycle is also known as the “ hydrologic cycle “. When too much water has condensed, the water droplets in the clouds become too big and heavy for the air to hold them. And so they fall back down to Earth as rain, snow, hail or sleet, a process known as “ precipitation “.
When did the earth’s water cycle begin and end?
About 75 percent of our planet is covered by water or ice. The water cycle is the endless process that connects all of that water. It joins the Earth’s oceans, land, and atmosphere. The Earth’s water cycle began about 3.8 billion years ago when rain fell on a cooling Earth, forming the oceans.
Which is the starting point of the water cycle?
The water cycle has no starting point. But, we’ll begin in the oceans, since that is where most of Earth’s water exists. The sun, which drives the water cycle, heats water in the oceans. Some of it evaporates as vapor into the air. Ice and snow can sublimate directly into water vapor.
What does NASA know about the water cycle?
NASA’s Aqua satellite also collects a large amount of information about Earth’s water cycle, including water in the oceans, clouds, sea ice, land ice and snow cover.