water cycle evaporation assignment

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Make a Mini Water Cycle Model

July 30, 2012 By Emma Vanstone 17 Comments

The water cycle is an amazing process that we started to talk about when discussing evaporation a couple of weeks ago.

Today we will have a go at creating our own mini water cycle model .

What is the water cycle?

Water on Earth is recycled over and over again; it’s always moving. It is this recycling process that we call the water cycle .

1. Evaporation – water evaporates into the air

The sun heats water on land, rivers, lakes and seas and turns it into water vapour.

The water vapour rises into the air.

2. Condensation – water vapour condenses into clouds

As water vapour in the air cools down, it turns back into tiny drops of water. These tiny drops of water form clouds.

3. Precipitation – water falls as rain

As the amount of water vapour in the clouds increases, the clouds get heavier and heavier. Water falls back to the ground as rain, sleet, or snow if it’s cold enough.

4. Water returns to the sea

As rainwater runs over the land back to rivers and the sea, some is taken up by and used by plants, and some returns to the air through transpiration. Most rainwater collects in lakes or rivers and flows back to the sea for the water cycle to start again.

The arrow from the sea to the sun – evaporation

The arrow from the sun to the clouds – condensation

The arrow from the Clouds to the mountains – precipitation

Make a water cycle model

You’ll need.

A plastic bowl (mixing bowl size)

How to make a water cycle model

It is best to do this outside in a sunny place.

1. Place the mug in the bottom of the bowl

2. Add water around the mug so that it comes up to ⅔rd of the mug – if you can draw on the bowl, mark where the water level is.

3. Cover the bowl tightly in clingfilm and fasten it in place with the string.

4. Watch what happens!

How does the water cycle model work?

You should find that you can see condensation drops of water on the top of the cling film and that the water level has lowered, proving that evaporation has taken place. The condensation droplets are the clouds. They will be dripping back into the bowl, but you should find some water in the cup (your mountains), demonstrating precipitation!

More Water Cycle Activities

Can you make a water cycle in a bag? Draw the sun and a cloud on a bag. Add some water and stick it to the inside of a sunny window. Watch as the water evaporates and condenses inside the bag!

Water Cycle Worksheet

Print the water cycle diagram below, cut out the squares and stick them in the correct place!

We love this LEGO water cycle model from EDventures, and this raining sponge from The Pinterested Parent is cool too.

Did you know you can measure rainfall with a simple rain gauge ?

Don’t forget to try my other weather science experiments too!

Last Updated on January 26, 2023 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

August 01, 2012 at 8:40 am

What a great activity! Love your diagram, too.

Thanks for sharing with Learning Laboratory at Mama Smiles =)

August 09, 2012 at 11:29 am

Thank you. xx

August 02, 2012 at 12:06 am

Such a great way to introduce education into play. All my kids love science experiments.

Its lovely to see them enjoy science isn’t it?

August 02, 2012 at 5:21 pm

Ooh fabulous project – as always!

Thank you for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!

Thanks Maggy 🙂

August 06, 2012 at 11:56 am

LOVE Science experiments to get kids interested in Science! We have this on our list to try too. Thanks for sharing it at TGIF! Have a great week Beth =-)

August 09, 2012 at 11:30 am

So glad you liked it Beth!

August 10, 2012 at 3:05 am

What a great activity!! We will have to give this one a try. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!

August 11, 2012 at 5:27 am

I’m pinning this to do with my boys in the near future, and I’m featuring on The Sunday Showcase tomorrow. Thank you for sharing!

August 11, 2012 at 12:51 pm

Great idea! I’ll have to try it with my girls!

February 27, 2013 at 5:50 pm

i loved it❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

March 18, 2015 at 5:54 pm

This was So cool!!!!!!!!!!! I love science!

March 18, 2017 at 8:42 pm

this is an excellent hands on activity to explain the process of the water cycle. students get to see each process and lean from observations. It is very engaging.

June 17, 2017 at 1:07 am

How long should the bowl be left outside before students check it?

February 28, 2018 at 6:01 pm

This is awful so awful lets go science yay yippie kai yaaa

PS your unloved

May 15, 2018 at 5:51 am

Such a scenic view ,looks great. Lovely.

Water Cycle

Introduction: (initial observation).

Rain and snow are the main sources of fresh water for people living on the earth. Both rain and snow come from the clouds; but, where do the clouds come from? It often seems that clouds appear from nowhere. One minute the sky is clear and then a few minutes later clouds form. Sometimes clouds come from far places. Wind moves the clouds from one area to the other.

If you live near a lake, ocean or forest, you may have seen water vapors rising from wet surfaces and disappearing in the air. Is it possible that the same vapors become visible again when they get to higher elevations? If the clouds come from oceans, forests and other surface waters then why doesn’t the rain water contain salt and other pollutants that exist in rivers and surface waters?

Is it possible that only pure water evaporates and all impurities stay behind?

In this project you will study, observe and demonstrate the water cycle.

This project guide contains information that you need in order to start your project. If you have any questions or need more support about this project, click on the “Ask Question” button on the top of this page to send me a message.

If you are new in doing science project, click on “How to Start” in the main page. There you will find helpful links that describe different types of science projects, scientific method, variables, hypothesis, graph, abstract and all other general basics that you need to know.

Project advisor

Adult supervision and support is required for the experiments of this project.

Information Gathering:

Find out what happens to the water that evaporates. Read books, magazines or ask professionals who might know in order to learn about water evaporation, clouds and precipitation. Keep track of where you got your information from.

Following are samples of information that you may find:

The Water Cycle

Background Information:

Earth was formed 4.6 billion years ago, but water was not present from the very beginning. At some point, possibly because of the heating of hydrogen and oxygen as Earth developed, water vapor began to form in the atmosphere. About 3.8 billion years ago, oceans formed and the cycle began. The same water that you drink today has been around since the oceans formed. Water is an important part of life on this planet. The water cycle is a complex process that gives us water to drink and provides us with climates that allow us to have food to eat. The earth has a limited amount of water, which keeps going around and around. It is a very important cycle in that it allows for life and helps sustain life on earth. Seventy percent of the earth’s surface is covered by water. Yet only 1% of that water is in the form to be used by humans and land animals. Water constantly changes from solid to liquid to gas. This cycle is what we call the water cycle.

Evaporation, condensation, and precipitation are the cycles of the water cycle.

Evaporation occurs when the sun heats up water in our oceans, lakes, and rivers and turns it into vapor or stream. This water vapor leaves the oceans, lakes, and rivers and moves up into the air. The water vapor settles in the troposphere where it condenses.

Condensation happens when warm and cold air meets in the troposphere. The water vapors in the air get cold and excess water condenses into either liquid water or ice, which then form clouds. If enough of this water forms into clouds, rain will begin if the weather is warm. If it is cold, it will snow. This process is called precipitation.

Precipitation is when so much water has condensed that the air cannot hold it any longer. The clouds get heavy and water falls back to the earth in the form of rain, hail, sleet or snow.

Essentially water in liquid form turns into a gas, then into a solid, and finally back into a liquid in a never-ending process.

Suggested References:

Do some research on water cycles, and draw a diagram to help you further understand this important cycle of the earth. Once you understand the water cycle and have done some research on it, you can observe the cycle in your own home. The links below should be very helpful in this preparation process. They should be used as a complement to your own research.

If you live in the United States, there are 40 trillion gallons of water above your head on an average day. Each day, about four trillion gallons of this water fall to Earth as precipitation, such as rain, snow, or hail. Some of the water that falls to Earth soaks into the ground and provides runoff to rivers, lakes, and oceans. The remainder—more than 2.5 trillion gallons—returns to the atmosphere through evaporation, and the process begins again.

This continuous process of precipitation and evaporation is called the water cycle, or hydrologic cycle.

Source…

Evaporation:

Evaporation is when the sun heats up water in rivers or lakes or the ocean and turns it into vapor or steam. The water vapor or steam leaves the river, lake or ocean and goes into the air.

Sample Experiment to show condensation

In this experiment we will go through all the water cycles and recreate them at home to further understand how they affect the whole world.

You can observe condensation very simply with a few items from around your house. Pour cold water into a glass and put it out on a hot day. You will see water form on the outside of the glass after a few minutes. Water vapor in the warm air turns back into liquid when it touches the cold glass.

You can also view evaporation very easily in your home. Have a parent assist you with putting some water in a kettle, and letting it come to a boil. As the water in the kettle becomes heated, you can watch the steam rise out of the kettle. The water is evaporating into the air.

You can then take a ceramic plate and put it in your freezer for an hour. Then take the plate out of the freezer and hold it about 1 ft. over the steam rising out of the kettle. Be careful that the steam does not burn your hands. You will see water droplets form on the plate. This is then called condensation. If a lot of water condenses on plate, it will start dripping down and this in turn is called precipitation!

Conclusions:

In this same way that you viewed the water cycle in your home, the water cycle occurs on our earth. What is the importance of what you have just done? Summarize what you just observed in your experiments. Describe exactly what happened and try to think of the implications of these procedures.

Question/ Purpose:

What do you want to find out? Write a statement that describes what you want to do. Use your observations and questions to write the statement.

The purpose of this project is to display water cycle. Show how the light and heat energy from the sun evaporate water and distributes water around the earth.

Identify Variables:

When you think you know what variables may be involved, think about ways to change one at a time. If you change more than one at a time, you will not know what variable is causing your observation. Sometimes variables are linked and work together to cause something. At first, try to choose variables that you think act independently of each other.

As a display project, you will not need to identify variables. In higher grades you may want to study the effect of one specific factor on the rate of evaporation or condensation. That is when you need to define variables.

For example you may want to study the effect of temperature on evaporation of water. In this case temperature will be the manipulated variable. The rate of evaporation is the responding variable.

Another example is when you want to determine the evaporation rate in different days. (Experiment 3) . In this case the independent variable is the day. The dependent variable is the amount of water evaporation from one square foot surface water.

Hypothesis:

Based on your gathered information, make an educated guess about what types of things affect the system you are working with. Identifying variables is necessary before you can make a hypothesis.

In a display project, you will not need to identify variables.

Experiment Design:

Design an experiment to test each hypothesis. Make a step-by-step list of what you will do to answer each question. This list is called an experimental procedure. For an experiment to give answers you can trust, it must have a “control.” A control is an additional experimental trial or run. It is a separate experiment, done exactly like the others. The only difference is that no experimental variables are changed. A control is a neutral “reference point” for comparison that allows you to see what changing a variable does by comparing it to not changing anything. Dependable controls are sometimes very hard to develop. They can be the hardest part of a project. Without a control you cannot be sure that changing the variable causes your observations. A series of experiments that includes a control is called a “controlled experiment.”

Experiment 1: What evaporates?

Introduction : Rain and snow do not contain salt and other pollutants usually found in the sea or other surface waters. In this experiment you will test to see if such material may evaporate along with water.

Procedure :

• Make some salty-polluted water by dissolving some salt and some water color in a cup of water.
• Transfer your polluted water to a plate and leave it outside under the sun for water to evaporate.
• After a few days, see weather the salts and water color evaporated or if they remained on the plate.
• Based on the result, write your conclusion.

Experiment 2: Water Displacement?

Introduction : Evaporation, condensation and precipitation are parts of a process that transfer large amounts of water from oceans to dry lands all over the globe on a daily bases.

This process is called water cycle. Without this process rivers, forests and lakes could not exist. In this experiment we will examine the process of water cycle and see how water is transferred from one area to the other.

• Get a two compartment plastic container with a lid that seals perfectly. Make sure that the divider is shorter than the sides of the container; in this way air can freely flow between the two compartments.
• Place the container on a flat surface in a sunny place in your backyard and then place a piece of stone or a block of wood under one side of the container. In this way the container will be slanted to one side.
• Fill the elevated compartment in half with water. Carefully place the lid on and cover the lower compartment with an aluminum foil to keep it cool.
• After 7 days carefully open the container. What do you see in the lower compartment. Can water evaporate from one compartment and condense and precipitate in the other compartment?

Variations:

The above experiment can also be performed in a glass or plastic aquarium.

A slanted glass on top allows the condensations to go towards elevations that you may make using real soil or a block of Styrofoam.

Use plastic plants or dry plants on the elevations to simulate vegetations.

What if we have no sunlight?

A 100 watt flood lamp mounted about 1 foot above the water area can work like sunlight. You may use a timer or manually turn off an on the light every hour to create day and night conditions for your model.

Experiment 3: Rate of water cycle

Introduction : The water cycle starts by evaporation of surface waters and perspiration by plants, and it ends when the water comes back down to the earth in the form of rain or snow. In this experiment you measure and record the amount of water evaporating from surface waters in different days.

Who must do this experiment?

If you are required to have a data table and possibly a graph for your project, you may try this experiment. In most cases 8th grade students are expected to present a data table and a graph with their project report or project display.

Measure 250 milliliters of water in a graduated cylinder and then transfer the water to a flat, square cooking tray. Try to use a tray that has an area of one square foot. If you don’t have a tray that measure one square foot, you can make one using an aluminum foil placed over a cardboard.

Place the tray outside in an open space, away from animals and birds.

After 24 hours transfer the water back to the measuring cylinder and observe the difference. Record how much water was evaporated.

Repeat this experiment in 5 different days and record the amount of evaporated water per square foot. Also record the outdoor weather temperature on those days.

Your results table may look like this:

Calculate and write the average daily evaporation in the last row of your data table.

Make a graph:

You can use a bar graph to visually present your results. Make one vertical bar for each day you repeat your experiment. The height of bar will show the amount of daily evaporation on that day.

If for some reason such as rain or animals your results become invalid, you will have to ignore the results of such days. If you have time, you may repeat your test a few more days to have at least 5 days of reliable results.

Materials and Equipment:

Material used in the above experiments are:

• Water Color
• Clear plastic container with 2 compartment
• Plastic aquarium
• Light bulb (100 watt) to simulate sunlight

Results of Experiment (Observation):

Experiments are often done in series. A series of experiments can be done by changing one variable a different amount each time. A series of experiments is made up of separate experimental “runs.” During each run you make a measurement of how much the variable affected the system under study. For each run, a different amount of change in the variable is used. This produces a different amount of response in the system. You measure this response, or record data, in a table for this purpose. This is considered “raw data” since it has not been processed or interpreted yet. When raw data gets processed mathematically, for example, it becomes results.

Calculations:

No calculations are required for this project.

Summary of Results:

Summarize what happened. This can be in the form of a table of processed numerical data, or graphs. It could also be a written statement of what occurred during experiments.

It is from calculations using recorded data that tables and graphs are made. Studying tables and graphs, we can see trends that tell us how different variables cause our observations. Based on these trends, we can draw conclusions about the system under study. These conclusions help us confirm or deny our original hypothesis. Often, mathematical equations can be made from graphs. These equations allow us to predict how a change will affect the system without the need to do additional experiments. Advanced levels of experimental science rely heavily on graphical and mathematical analysis of data. At this level, science becomes even more interesting and powerful.

Conclusion:

Using the trends in your experimental data and your experimental observations, try to answer your original questions. Is your hypothesis correct? Now is the time to pull together what happened, and assess the experiments you did.

Related Questions & Answers:

What you have learned may allow you to answer other questions. Many questions are related. Several new questions may have occurred to you while doing experiments. You may now be able to understand or verify things that you discovered when gathering information for the project. Questions lead to more questions, which lead to additional hypothesis that need to be tested.

Possible Errors:

If you did not observe anything different than what happened with your control, the variable you changed may not affect the system you are investigating. If you did not observe a consistent, reproducible trend in your series of experimental runs there may be experimental errors affecting your results. The first thing to check is how you are making your measurements. Is the measurement method questionable or unreliable? Maybe you are reading a scale incorrectly, or maybe the measuring instrument is working erratically.

If you determine that experimental errors are influencing your results, carefully rethink the design of your experiments. Review each step of the procedure to find sources of potential errors. If possible, have a scientist review the procedure with you. Sometimes the designer of an experiment can miss the obvious.

References:

List of web references

Water Vapor

Q. Since this project doesn’t have results or data, then how would I set up the project board. Is there an Abstract, conclusion or a purpose?

A. In a display project you do the experiments and write down your observations as the experiment results. Project board will have drawings, pictures and writings similar to what you have in your project guide. In addition to that you also write your observations and what you have learned from your experiments. If you need to have a data table, you can repeat the experiment 2 in 5 different days and record the amount of water displacement every day. Then convert the values to the ratio of total water in the container.

It is always important for students, parents and teachers to know a good source for science related equipment and supplies they need for their science activities. Please note that many online stores for science supplies are managed by MiniScience.

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Evaporation and the Water Cycle

Evaporation is the process that changes liquid water to gaseous water (water vapor). Water moves from the Earth’s surface to the atmosphere via evaporation. 

•   Water Science School HOME   •  The Water Cycle   •

Water cycle components   »   Atmosphere   ·   Condensation   ·   Evaporation   ·   Evapotranspiration   ·   Freshwater lakes and rivers    ·   Groundwater flow   ·   Groundwater storage   ·   Ice and snow   ·   Infiltration   ·   Oceans   ·   Precipitation   ·   Snowmelt   ·   Springs   ·   Streamflow   ·   Sublimation   ·   Surface runoff

What is evaporation and why does it occur?

Evaporation occurs when energy (heat) forces the bonds that hold water molecules together to break. When you’re boiling water on the stove, you’re adding heat to liquid water. This added heat breaks the bonds, causing the water to shift from its liquid state to its gaseous state (water vapor), which we know as steam.  

Water easily evaporates at its boiling point (212° F, 100° C) but evaporates much more slowly at its freezing point because of the heat energy required to evaporate the water.

The opposite of evaporation is condensation. Condensation   is the process of water vapor turning back into liquid water. Condensation occurs when saturated air is cooled, such as on the outside of a glass of ice water.

Evaporation drives the water cycle

Most of the moisture in the atmosphere (about 90%) came from water evaporating from oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers. (And because over 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by oceans, they contribute a lot to the overall volume of water evaporating into the atmosphere.) The rest of the moisture in the atmosphere came from plant transpiration and (a very small amount) from sublimation. 

On a global scale, the amount of water evaporating is about the same as the amount of water delivered to the Earth as precipitation.  

This does vary geographically, though. Evaporation is more prevalent over the oceans than precipitation, while over the land, precipitation routinely exceeds evaporation. Most of the water that evaporates from the oceans falls back into the oceans as precipitation. Only about 10 percent of the water evaporated from the oceans is transported over land and falls as precipitation. Once evaporated, a water molecule spends about 10 days in the air. The process of evaporation is so great that without precipitation runoff , and groundwater   discharge from aquifers , oceans would become nearly empty.   

People make use of evaporation

One way to produce table salt is to evaporate saline water in evaporation ponds, a technique used by people for thousands of years. 

Seawater contains other valuable minerals that are easily obtained due to evaporation. Water from the Dead Sea is ideal for the extraction of not only table salt, but also magnesium, potash, and bromine. The Dead Sea is actually a lake, located in the Middle East within a closed watershed and without any means of outflow. This closed basin system is abnormal for most lakes. Water primarily leaves the lake by evaporating, resulting in upwards of 1,300 - 1,600 millimeters of evaporated water per year in this desert area! The result is that the waters of the Dead Sea have the highest salinity and density of any sea in the world, too high to support life.

(Source: Overview of Middle East Water Resources, Middle East Water Data Banks Project ) .

Evaporative cooling: Cheap air conditioning!

Because energy is required to break the bonds holding water molecules together, evaporation removes heat from the environment, leading to a net cooling. Think of when a physician wipes an alcohol pad on your arm before giving you an injection – your arm feels cold. That’s because the alcohol rapidly evaporates from the surface of your skin, and with it some heat from the surface of your arm. 

In climates where the humidity is low and the temperatures are hot, an evaporative cooler can lower the air temperature by 20 degrees F., while it increases humidity. As this map shows, evaporative coolers work best in the dry areas of the United States (red areas marked A) and can work somewhat in the blue areas marked B. But in section C, in the humid eastern U.S., normal air conditioners must be used. 

Evaporative coolers are really quite simple devices, at least compared to air conditioners, because they pull in the dry, hot outdoor air and pass it through an evaporative pad that is kept wet by a supply of water. In a home device, a fan draws the air through the pad causing the water in the pad to evaporate, resulting in cooler air which is then pumped through the house. Much less energy is used as compared to an air conditioner. 

Below are other science topics associated with the water cycle.

Precipitation and the Water Cycle

Streamflow and the Water Cycle

Snowmelt Runoff and the Water Cycle

The Atmosphere and the Water Cycle

Condensation and the Water Cycle

Infiltration and the Water Cycle

Surface Runoff and the Water Cycle

Springs and the Water Cycle

Sublimation and the Water Cycle

Ice, Snow, and Glaciers and the Water Cycle

Groundwater Flow and the Water Cycle

Groundwater Storage and the Water Cycle

7 Amazing Ideas for Teaching the Water Cycle

The water cycle is the process by which water evaporates from the Earth’s surface, rises into the atmosphere, and falls back down to the surface as precipitation.

In this post, we explore 7 fun and engaging ideas for teaching kids about the water cycle. From hands-on investigations and activities to stations and task cards, these ideas will help kids learn about the water cycle in a meaningful and interactive way.

1. Observe a Water Cycle Baggie

This idea is an oldie, but a goodie. 

It’s important for students to understand how the Sun and ocean interact in the water cycle. Water at the surface of the ocean evaporates and rises due to energy from the Sun. It becomes water vapor.

As the water vapor cools during condensation into liquid water, it gathers together in clouds. Then the liquid water falls as precipitation .

1. Draw the water cycle carefully on a baggie using a Sharpie. Don’t push too hard or your bag might rip!

Include the sun, a cloud, and the ocean. Also write the processes.

2. When you’re done writing, add some water to the bag, seal it shut, and tape it to the window.

3. Observe your water cycle baggie for a few days. You’ll see the evaporation and condensation right before your very eyes!

4. Be sure to have students record their observations and draw their water cycle baggies in their science notebooks!

2. Flip with a Water Cycle Flipbook

Need a NO PREP science review activity? Make a flip book to review the water cycle!

This flip book is easy to assemble and fun to create with students as they wrap up their learning.

Accompany this activity with a video from our friend at  Mad Garden Science  on YouTube.

See it on TPT: Water Cycle Flipbook

3. Weather and Water Stations

Study the water cycle alongside weather and climate with 9 easy prep station activities. This is a particularly great option if you’re short on time during your weather and water unit!

See it on TpT!  Weather and Water Stations

5. Dive Deep with the Clouds Phenomena-based Science Unit

Teach your students the details of cloud formation and how clouds can help us predict the weather with this full unit! 

You’ll  use a cloud window to observe the weather each day, make predictions about the weather based on cloud types, support a claim with evidence and reasoning, and even make a cloud in a jar!

See it on TpT!  Clouds and Weather Unit

6. Roll the Dice with a Water Cycle Cube Simulation

This activity is a simulation game in which students move through the water cycle as a drop of water.  The activity I used is no longer available but you can find something similar  here .

6. Assess with Water Cycle Task Cards

When it’s time to check for understanding, you’ll want to have some task cards on hand. I use two different sets– one for vocabulary and one with more rigorous questions for test prep.

See them on TpT! 

Water Cycle Vocabulary Task Cards

Water Cycle Test Prep Task Cards

7. Enrich with a Water Cycle Digital Choice Menu

Use as enrichment! This digital choice board is perfect for advanced students who crave new learning and want to dive a little deeper into the topic of study.

The work is done for you to just assign and go! 

See it on TPT:   Water Cycle Digital Choice Menu

Top Teaching Tools

Try out these top teaching tools to help your students learn all about the water cycle!

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5 thoughts on “7 amazing ideas for teaching the water cycle”.

Thanks for sharing these great ideas! I always like to follow up my version of the water cycle simulation by having my students (2nd grade) create a comic strip that follows their “journey” as they share these stories they see the patterns. I love teaching the water cycle, so many great experiences!

Love the comic strip!

Thanks for sharing the Ocean Notebook freebie!

Love the Water Cycle simulation cubes idea, but where do you find the cubes?

• Pingback: Water/Water cycle | Pearltrees

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Hi, I'm Ari!

As a new teacher, I struggled to plan engaging, rigorous science lessons. Throughout my time teaching upper elementary and in my graduate studies, I discovered what worked well and developed science curriculum for busy teachers.  Now, teachers across the country use Science Penguin activities every single day in their classrooms!

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Water Cycle, Rain Cycle Science Experiments and Craftivity

Let’s learn about the water cycle 3 simple water cycle experiments & a craftivity.

Here are 3 of my favorite water cycle experiments as well as a craftivity.  These science experiments are simple to set up and use common household items. The water cycle wheel craftivity gives students a visual representation of the stages of the water cycle and how they repeat over and over again.

First, introduce your students to the water cycle and the following terms: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, collection.

The earth has a limited amount of water.  This water keeps going around and around in what we call the water cycle.  When the sun heats the water in the lakes, streams, oceans, etc. some of it turns to a gas (water vapor). This is called evaporation . This invisible water vapor is light and rises into the air.

When the water vapor hits the cold air high up in the atmosphere it turns back to water droplets and collects in clouds.  This is called condensation.

When too many water droplets form in a cloud, the cloud gets heavy and the water falls back to the earth in the form of rain, hail, sleet, or snow.  This is called precipitation.

When the water falls back to the earth, it may fall back in the streams, lakes, ocean, etc. or it may fall on the land. This is called collection . When it falls on the land, it either soaks into the earth for plants to drink or runs over the soil and back into the streams, lakes, oceans, etc. and the cycle begins all over again.

I like using word wall cards as visual aides to help reinforce the words and their meanings. I use one set for student use in the writing center and another set for instruction and our word wall.

These simple science experiments will help demonstrate the water cycle or parts of the water cycle.

Experiment 1

Items Needed: large bowl mug or small cup plastic wrap string or large rubber band water

Place the mug or small cup in the center of the bowl.  Fill the bowl with water about 2/3 of the way up the cup (do not put water inside the cup).

Cover the bowl with saran wrap and either tie it with string or place a large rubber band around it to secure the plastic wrap.

Place it outside in a sunny area for a few hours.

After several hours, allow students to observe the bowl.  The plastic wrap will have condensation and some of the condensation will have dripped or fallen into the cup/mug.

This experiment demonstrates the heat of the sun turning the water in the bowl to vapor (evaporation).  The vapor turning back to water droplets on the saran wrap (condensation), drops getting too heavy and falling back down (precipitation) to the water in the bowl or in the mug which represents mountains or land (collection).

After the experiment I check students’ understanding of the water cycle vocabulary words and how the experiment demonstrated each stage of the water cycle by having them label a picture of the experiment.

Seesaw, Google Slides, or Pic Collage (Pic Kids) can also be used to check students’ understanding of the stages of the water cycle and how they were demonstrated in the experiment. Take pictures of the experiment and have students insert them in the appropriate places.

Experiment 2

Items Needed: Ziploc baggie tape blue food coloring (optional) marker (optional) water

If desired, draw water, a cloud, and a sun on the Ziploc baggie with a marker.

Add a small amount of water to the baggie without getting the sides wet.

Add a few drops of blue food coloring to the water (optional).

Hang on a sunny window for several hours.

After several hours or when heavy condensation appears on the bag, remove the bag and allow students to observe.  Tap the bag, if necessary, to make the water droplets fall.

This experiment allows students to observe the water from the bag evaporating, condensing, falling like precipitation, and collecting again at the bottom.  Notice that the water does not stay blue once it evaporates.  This is because the food coloring is heavier than the water vapor and thus stays down, much like the salt from the ocean water.

After the experiment, check students’ understanding by having them draw and label a picture of the experiment using the water cycle vocabulary words or use Seesaw, Pic Collage (Pic Kids), or Google Slides to insert a photo of the experiment and label it with the text feature.

Experiment 3

Items Needed: shaving cream small glass medium glass straw or eye dropper blue food coloring water

Place approximately 3 tablespoons of water in the small glass and add about 10 drops of blue food coloring.

Fill the medium glass with water. Add 1-3 inches of shaving cream to the top.  The more shaving cream used the longer the experiment will last.

Add the colored water to the shaving cream drop by drop using an eye dropper or by dipping the straw in the colored water, placing your finger over the end, holding it over the shaving cream, and lifting your finger enough to allow drops of colored water to drip onto the shaving cream.

Continue dropping the water onto the shaving cream until you observe it getting too heavy and “rain” starting to come out below.  Depending on the amount of shaving cream used, this could take anywhere from 40-100 drops.

This experiment demonstrates what happens in the clouds during the water cycle. When a cloud accumulates too many water droplets they fall in the form of precipitation.  In the experiment, after a certain point the shaving cream can no longer absorb the water drops and gravity pulls them down into the water.

Optional: Prior to dropping the water in the shaving cream cloud, have students predict how many drops of water they think the cloud will hold before it starts to “rain” and have them record it.  During the experiment, count the number of drops and compare it to students’ guesses.

After the experiment have students draw and explain what they learned.

Water Cycle Wheel Craftivity

As a culminating activity, have students color a picture of the water cycle, label it using the vocabulary words, and glue it to a paper plate.

Make a raindrop “arm” and attach it to the paper plate with a brass fastener.  Students move the raindrop through the different stages of the water cycle.  This gives students a visual representation of the water cycle and how it repeats over and over again.

If you would like to use the printable pages and patterns for the water cycle wheel craftivity with your students, they are available here along with additional crafts and activities.

What fellow teachers are saying about these activities and resource:

“Love this! It is one of the best products I have!” – Krystal L.

“LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! This product included so many fun activities to teach about the water cycle. My students were definitely engaged and begging for more.” – Keeping it Cool in Kindergarten

“Cannot say how much I loved this! My Kinders had so much fun with the activities I got from this, and it was the perfect accessory to our water cycle unit! Love it.” – Vanessa G.

“So many great resources for the price! My kids LOVED this!! I could not believe how many great activities were in here. Print and go…. AWESOME!” – Ewa B.

“This is an amazing resource. A wide range of experiments and activities. My students were engaged the ENTIRE time! Thank you so much!” – Buyer

“The best water cycle activity out there!” – Leslie B.

“My students loved the experiments. I have done these experiments before, however the difference is the detailed recording sheets are sooo much better than what I have done. They helped solidify the learning experiences from the experiment and bring everything all together.” – Mountain view learning

“My students loved these Water Cycle experiments! I believe the water cycle is a hard concept for first graders to grasp but this resource made it much easier for them to understand. Plus this resource is so fun!” – Krista B.

“This was awesome! My Grade 2 kids loved the activities and really got interested in science!” – Rebecca T.

“This resource contains so much – step-by-step experiments with recording sheets, crafts, cut & paste diagrams, a relevant book list – I have been able to choose the best activities for each class as well as the supplies I have available. Wonderful!” – Camille W.

“I love this unit! It perfectly covers our 2nd grade standard and my kids loved it!” – Sarah R.

“As I am in a hybrid learning environment currently, this resource was used for both in person and online work. The families LOVED the easy to follow experiments and the hands on water cycle project really helped them synthesize the content.” – Megan R.

“My kiddos enjoyed having this packet. Parents said they appreciated the experiments because it made learning at home more engaging. Was able to use quickly for remote learning due to COVID 19. Thank you!” – Najah L.

“This resource was so easy to use for distance learning. I was able to send select pages to my students for them to do their experiments at home!” – Sydney W.

Have engaging science experiments and STEM activities throughout the entire school year with this money-saving Science & STEM Bundle !

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• Water Cycle

Weather & Climate

Societal applications, nasa earth science: water cycle.

Earth is a truly unique in its abundance of water. Water is necessary to sustaining life on Earth, and helps tie together the Earth's lands, oceans, and atmosphere into an integrated system. Precipitation, evaporation , freezing and melting and condensation are all part of the hydrological cycle - a never-ending global process of water circulation from clouds to land, to the ocean, and back to the clouds. This cycling of water is intimately linked with energy exchanges among the atmosphere, ocean, and land that determine the Earth's climate and cause much of natural climate variability. The impacts of climate change and variability on the quality of human life occur primarily through changes in the water cycle . As stated in the National Research Council's report on Research Pathways for the Next Decade (NRC, 1999): "Water is at the heart of both the causes and effects of climate change."

Importance of the ocean in the water cycle

The ocean plays a key role in this vital cycle of water. The ocean holds 97% of the total water on the planet; 78% of global precipitation occurs over the ocean, and it is the source of 86% of global evaporation. Besides affecting the amount of atmospheric water vapor and hence rainfall, evaporation from the sea surface is important in the movement of heat in the climate system. Water evaporates from the surface of the ocean, mostly in warm, cloud-free subtropical seas. This cools the surface of the ocean, and the large amount of heat absorbed the ocean partially buffers the greenhouse effect from increasing carbon dioxide and other gases. Water vapor carried by the atmosphere condenses as clouds and falls as rain, mostly in the ITCZ, far from where it evaporated, Condensing water vapor releases latent heat and this drives much of the the atmospheric circulation in the tropics. This latent heat release is an important part of the Earth’s heat balance, and it couples the planet’s energy and water cycles.

The major physical components of the global water cycle include the evaporation from the ocean and land surfaces, the transport of water vapor by the atmosphere, precipitation onto the ocean and land surfaces, the net atmospheric transport of water from land areas to ocean, and the return flow of fresh water from the land back into the ocean. The additional components of oceanic water transport are few, including the mixing of fresh water through the oceanic boundary layer, transport by ocean currents, and sea ice processes. On land the situation is considerably more complex, and includes the deposition of rain and snow on land; water flow in runoff ; infiltration of water into the soil and groundwater ; storage of water in soil, lakes and streams, and groundwater; polar and glacial ice; and use of water in vegetation and human activities. Illustration of the water cycle showing the ocean, land, mountains, and rivers returning to the ocean. Processes labeled include: precipitation, condensation, evaporation, evaportranspiration (from tree into atmosphere), radiative exchange, surface runoff, ground water and stream flow, infiltration, percolation and soil moisture.

Evaporation ("E") controls the loss of fresh water and precipitation ("P") governs most of the gain of fresh water. Scientists monitor the relationship between these two primary processes in the oceans. Inputs from rivers and melting ice can also contribute to fresh water gains. Evaporation minus precipitation is usually referred to as the net flux of fresh water or the total fresh water in or out of the oceans. E-P determines surface salinity of the ocean, which helps determine the stability of the water column. Salinity and temperature determine the density of ocean water, and density influences the circulation. E-P determines surface salinity of the ocean, which helps determine the stability of the water column. Precipitation also affects the height of the ocean surface indirectly via salinity and density.

The ocean surface is constantly being stirred up by wind and changes in density or buoyancy. The ocean naturally has different physical characteristics with depth. As depth increases, temperature decreases because the sun only heats surface waters. Warm water is lighter or more buoyant than cold water, so the warm surface water stays near the surface. However, surface water is also subject to evaporation. When seawater evaporates, water is removed, salt remains, and relatively salty water is left behind. This relatively salty water can float at the surface; for example, in the tropics it floats because is it so warm and buoyant.

At higher latitudes, sea water tends to be salty because of poleward transport of tropical water and to a lesser extent, sea ice formation. When sea ice forms, the salt is not crystallized in the ice, leaving the remaining waters relatively salty. Also, near the poles, the seawater is cold and dense. The interaction between water temperature and salinity effects density and density determines thermohaline circulation, or the global conveyor belt. The global conveyor belt is a global-scale circulation process that occurs over a century-long time scale. Water sinks in the North Atlantic, traveling south around Africa, rising in the Indian Ocean or further on in the Pacific, then returning toward the Atlantic on the surface only to sink again in the North Atlantic starting the cycle again.

Generalized model of the thermohaline circulation: 'Global Conveyor Belt' This illustration shows cold deep high salinity currents circulating from the north Atlantic Ocean to the southern Atlantic Ocean and east to the Indian Ocean. Deep water returns to the surface in the Indian and Pacific Oceans through the process of upwelling. The warm shallow current then returns west past the Indian Ocean, round South Africa and up to the North Atlantic where the water becomes saltier and colder and sinks starting the process all over again.

NASA & The Water Cycle

Water is an integral part of life on this planet, and NASA plays a major role at the forefront of water cycle research. Currently, there are many NASA missions that are simultaneously measuring a myriad of Earth's water cycle variables; Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Groundwater Flow, Ice Accumulation and Runoff. NASA's water cycle research missions can be grouped into 3 major categories; Water Cycle, Energy Cycle, and Water and Energy Cycle Missions. By studying each and every variable of Earth's water and energy cycles, "As Only NASA Can", a crucial understanding of the water cycle's effect on global climate is currently underway.

NASA's goal is to improve/nurture the following global measurements: precipitation (P), evaporation (E), P-E and the land hydrologic state, such as soil-water, freeze/thaw and snow. Through NASA's water cycle research, we can understand how water moves through the Earth system in the hydrological cycle and we will be in a better position to effectively manage this vital renewable resource and help match the natural supply of water with human demands. NASA is the only national agency that has the ability to support a full range of water cycle research, from large-scale remote sensing to in-situ field observations, data acquisition and analysis, and prediction system development.

More NASA Missions and Instruments planned to help better understand the workings of the water cycle. Within the next decade, an experimental global water and energy cycle observation system combining environmental satellites and potential new exploratory missions - i.e. advanced remote sensing systems for solid precipitation, soil moisture, and ground water storage - may be feasible. These proposed new approaches are tantalizing, for knowledge of global fresh water availability under the effects of climate change is of increasing importance as the human population grows. Space measurements provide the only means of systematically observing the full Earth while maintaining the measurement accuracies needed to assess global variability.

Sea Surface Salinity (SSS) is a key tracer for understanding the fresh water cycle in the ocean. This is because whereas some parts of the water cycle increase salinity, other parts decrease it. Global SSS patterns are governed by geographic differences in the "water budget." Like on continents, some latitudes of the ocean are "rainy" whereas others are arid and "desert-like." In general, latitude zones dominated by precipitation have low SSS and those dominated by high evaporation have high SSS. The lowest SSS occurs in temperate latitudes (40 - 50 degrees North and South), near coasts and in equatorial regions and the highest SSS occurs at about 25 - 30 degrees North and South latitude, at ocean centers and in enclosed seas.

To track changes in SSS patterns over time, scientists monitor the relationship between evaporation and precipitation in the oceans. After the launch of Aquarius in 2008, scientists will be able to produce accurate maps of global (E - P). Thus, for the first time we will observe how the ocean responds to variability in the water cycle, from season-to-season and year-to-year.

NASA's Aqua mission contributions to monitoring water in the Earth's environment will involve all six of Aqua's instruments: the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), the Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSB), the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-Earth Observing System (AMSR-E), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES). The AIRS/AMSU/HSB combination will provide more-accurate space-based measurements of atmospheric temperature and water vapor than have ever been obtained before, with the highest vertical resolution to date as well. Since water vapor is the Earth's primary greenhouse gas and contributes significantly to uncertainties in projections of future global warming , it is critical to understand how it varies in the Earth system.

Frozen water in the oceans, in the form of sea ice, will be examined with both AMSR-E and MODIS data, the former allowing routine monitoring of sea ice at a coarse resolution and the latter providing greater spatial resolution but only under cloud-free conditions. Sea ice can insulate the underlying liquid water against heat loss to the often frigid overlying polar atmosphere and also reflects sunlight that would otherwise be available to warm the ocean. AMSR-E measurements will allow the routine derivation of sea ice concentrations in both polar regions, through taking advantage of the marked contrast in microwave emissions of sea ice and liquid water. This will continue, with improved resolution and accuracy, a 22-year satellite record of changes in the extent of polar ice. MODIS, with its finer resolution, will permit the identification of individual ice floes, when unobscured by clouds.

http://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/oceanography/ocean-earth-system/ocean-water-cycle/

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Make a mini water cycle.

We know that water can be a liquid, a gas, or a solid. Outside, water is always changing from liquid to gas and back again. This process is called the water cycle. You can see how the water cycle works.

The Water Cycle

The sun's heat causes water to evaporate from streams, lakes, rivers, and oceans. The water vapor rises. When it reaches cooler air, it condenses to form clouds. When the clouds are full of water, or saturated, they release some of the water as rain.

Create Your Own

• a large metal or plastic bowl
• a pitcher or bucket
• a sheet of clear plastic wrap
• a dry ceramic mug (like a coffee mug)
• a long piece of string or large rubber band
• Put the bowl in a sunny place outside.
• Using the pitcher or bucket, pour water into the bowl until it is about ¼
• Place the mug in the center of the bowl. Be careful not to splash any water into it.
• Cover the top of the bowl tightly with the plastic wrap.
• Tie the string around the bowl to hold the plastic wrap in place.
• Watch the bowl to see what happens.

The "mist" that forms on the plastic wrap will change into larger drops of water that will begin to drip. (You can speed up the dripping by carefully moving the bowl – don't splash! – into the shade.) When this happens, continue watching for a few minutes, then carefully peel back the plastic. Is the coffee mug still empty? Water from the "ocean" of water in the bowl evaporated. It  condensed to form misty "clouds" on the plastic wrap. When the clouds became saturated it "rained" into the mug!

This experiment adapted from resources provided by the Monroe County Water Authority - http://www.mcwa.com/MyWater/KidsWaterFun.aspx#cycle

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Find even more resources on the water cycle in our searchable resource database.

The water cycle is often taught as a simple circular cycle of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Although this can be a useful model, the reality is much more complicated. The paths and influences of water through Earth’s ecosystems are extremely complex and not completely understood. NOAA is striving to expand understanding of the water cycle at global to local scales to improve our ability to forecast weather, climate, water resources, and ecosystem health.

The water cycle. (Image credit: Dennis Cain/NWS)

The water cycle on Earth

Water is essential to life on Earth. In its three phases (solid, liquid, and gas), water ties together the major parts of the Earth’s climate system — air, clouds, the ocean, lakes, vegetation, snowpack offsite link , and glaciers offsite link .

The water cycle shows the continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere. It is a complex system that includes many different processes. Liquid water evaporates into water vapor, condenses to form clouds, and precipitates back to earth in the form of rain and snow. Water in different phases moves through the atmosphere (transportation). Liquid water flows across land (runoff), into the ground (infiltration and percolation), and through the ground (groundwater). Groundwater moves into plants (plant uptake) and evaporates from plants into the atmosphere (transpiration). Solid ice and snow can turn directly into gas (sublimation). The opposite can also take place when water vapor becomes solid (deposition).

See how NOAA science is safeguarding lives, economies, and a healthy water supply.

Water, society, and ecology

Water influences the intensity of climate variability and change. It is the key part of extreme events such as drought and floods . Its abundance and timely delivery are critical for meeting the needs of society and ecosystems.

Humans use water for drinking, industrial applications, irrigating agriculture, hydropower, waste disposal, and recreation. It is important that water sources are protected both for human uses and ecosystem health. In many areas, water supplies are being depleted because of population growth, pollution, and development. These stresses have been made worse by climate variations and changes that affect the hydrologic cycle.

A series of atmospheric rivers starting in late December 2022 through mid-January 2023 dropped feet of rain and snow across California and other parts of the West Coast.

Water and climate change

Climate change is affecting where, when, and how much water is available. Extreme weather events such as droughts and heavy precipitation , which are expected to increase as climate changes, can impact water resources. A lack of adequate water supplies, flooding, or degraded water quality impacts civilization — now and throughout history. These challenges can affect the economy, energy production and use, human health, transportation, agriculture, national security, natural ecosystems , and recreation.

An airborne mission finds a global belt of particle formation is making clouds brighter.

EDUCATION CONNECTION

The water cycle impacts ecosystems, economies, and our daily lives. The resources in this collection help teachers guide their students beyond the classic water cycle diagram and through the complex social and environmental issues that surround water. The water cycle provides the opportunity to explore the nature of science using models and empirical evidence. 

• Why Does Water Expand When It Freezes
• Gold Foil Experiment
• Faraday Cage
• Oil Drop Experiment
• Magnetic Monopole
• Why Do Fireflies Light Up
• Types of Blood Cells With Their Structure, and Functions
• The Main Parts of a Plant With Their Functions
• Parts of a Flower With Their Structure and Functions
• Parts of a Leaf With Their Structure and Functions
• Why Does Ice Float on Water
• Why Does Oil Float on Water
• How Do Clouds Form
• What Causes Lightning
• How are Diamonds Made
• Types of Meteorites
• Types of Volcanoes
• Types of Rocks

Water Cycle

What is the water cycle.

Water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, involves a series of stages that show the continuous movement and interchange of water between its three phases – solid, liquid, and gas, in the earth’s atmosphere. The sun acts as the primary source of energy that powers   the   water cycle on earth. Bernard Palissy discovered the modern theory of the water cycle in 1580 CE.

Steps of the Water Cycle: How does it Work

1. Change from Liquid to Gaseous Phase – Evaporation and Transpiration

The heat of the sun causes water from the surface of water bodies such as oceans, streams, and lakes to evaporate into water vapor in the atmosphere. Plants also contribute to the water cycle when water gets evaporated from the aerial parts of the plant , such as leaves and stems by the process of transpiration.

2. Change from Solid to Gaseous Phase – Sublimation

Due to dry winds, low humidity, and low air pressure, snow present on the mountains change directly into water vapor, bypassing the liquid phase by a process known as sublimation.

3. Change from Gaseous to Liquid Phase – Condensation

The invisible water vapor formed through evaporation, transpiration, and sublimation rises through the atmosphere, while cool air rushes to take its place. This is the process of condensation that allows water vapor to transform back into liquid, which is then stored in the form of clouds.

Sometimes, a sudden drop in atmospheric temperature helps the water vapors to condense into tiny droplets of water that remain suspended in the air. These suspended water droplets get mixed with bits of dust in the air, resulting in fog.

4. Change from Gaseous to Liquid and Solid Phase – Precipitation and Deposition         

Wind movements cause the water-laden clouds   to collide and fall back on the earth’s surface through precipitation, simply known as rain. The water that evaporated in the first stage thus returns into different water bodies on the earth’s surface, including the ocean, rivers, ponds, and lakes. In regions with extremely cold climate with sub-zero temperatures, the water vapor changes directly into frost and snow bypassing the liquid phase, causing snowfall in high altitudes by a process known as the deposition. 

5. Return of the water back into the underground reserve – Runoff, Infiltration, Percolation, and Collection

The water that falls back on the earth’s surface moves between the layers of soil and rocks and is accumulated as the underground water reserves known as aquifers. This process is further assisted by earthquakes, which help the underground water to reach the mantle of the earth. Some amount of precipitated water flows down the sides of mountains and hills to reach the water bodies, which again evaporates into the atmosphere. During volcanic eruptions, the underground water returns to the surface of the earth, where it mixes with the surface water bodies in order to continue the cycle.

Video: Water Cycle Explained

Why is the water cycle important.

The most crucial and direct impacts of the above process on earth include:

• Making fresh water available to plants and animals, including humans, by purifying the groundwater on earth. During the water cycle, the water evaporates, leaving behind all the sediments and other dust particles. Similarly, for the sustenance of marine life, the saline range of all salt water bodies is kept within a certain permissible limit through infiltration. 
• Allowing even distribution of water on all surfaces of the earth. Water is temporarily stored as clouds in the atmosphere, whereas surface water bodies such as rivers and oceans, together with underground water, form the major permanent water reserves. 
• Causing a cooling effect on earth due to evaporation of water from surface water bodies, which help to form clouds that eventually precipitate down in the form of rain. This way water cycle affects the weather and climate of the earth.
• Ensuring some other biogeochemical cycles , including those concerning oxygen and phosphorus, to continue in nature.
• Cleaning the atmosphere by taking-away dust particles, shoot, and bacteria , thus acting as a means to purify the air we breathe.

Human Impact on Water Cycle

Human activities adversely affect the water cycle in the two following ways:

a) Deforestation : Plants play an important role in the water cycle by preventing soil erosion and thus helps to increase the groundwater level of the earth. Also, plants contribute by absorbing water from the soil, which is then released back to the atmosphere during transpiration. Deforestation adversely affects both the above processes, thus breaking the flow of the water cycle.

b) Pollution : Burning of fossil fuels acts as the major source of air pollution releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere, leading to the formation of smog and acid rain . Water from farmlands run off to the nearest water bodies carrying chemicals such as insecticides and pesticides along with them, thus causing water pollution. The presence of excessive contaminants in the atmosphere and water bodies decreases the evaporation and condensation on earth, thus adversely affecting the water cycle.

Ans. Cellular respiration is the process by which organisms take up oxygen in order to breathe and digest food. Water is utilized for breaking large molecules that release energy in the form of ATP , while in a subsequent step the water molecules are released back into the cell, which in turn returns to the atmosphere, thus affecting the water cycle.

Ans. Rivers contain more water than streams and thus contribute more to the formation of water vapor through evaporation compared to a stream.

• Water Cycle – Britannica.com
• The Water Cycle – Khanacademy.org
• Water Cycle – Noaa.gov
• What Is The Hydrologic Cycle? – Worldatlas.com
• What is the Water Cycle? – Earth.com
• The Water Cycle – Coastgis.marsci.uga.edu

Article was last reviewed on Wednesday, May 17, 2023

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One response to “Water Cycle”

The first part of the water cycle is of course evaporation and transportation, but I don’t want to focus on that, I want to focus on the 2nd step which is sublimation. Sublimation is when snow or hail, or sleet falls down on a mountain and it quickly turns into water vapor by passing the liquid phase.Now lets skip to the last phase which is RIPC

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• Biology Article

Water Cycle

What is the Water Cycle? Water Cycle Diagram Stages of Water Cycle Implications of Water Cycle Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Water Cycle?

Water Cycle Diagram

During this process, water changes its state from one phase to another, but the total number of water particles remains the same. In other words, if it were possible to collect and boil 100 gms of water, it will still retain a mass of 100 gms as steam. Likewise, if 100 gms of steam is collected and condensed, the resultant water would still weight 100 gms.

Water changes its state through a variety of processes from evaporation, melting and freezing, to sublimation, condensation, and deposition. All these changes require the application of energy.

Stages of Water Cycle

There are many processes involved in the movement of water apart from the major steps given in the above water cycle diagram. Listed below are different stages of the water cycle.

1. Evaporation

The sun is the ultimate source of energy, and it powers most of the evaporation that occurs on earth. Evaporation generally happens when water molecules at the surface of water bodies become excited and rise into the air. These molecules with the highest kinetic energy accumulate into water vapour clouds. Evaporation usually takes place below the boiling point of water. Another process called evapotranspiration occurs when evaporation occurs through the leaves of plants. This process contributes to a large percentage of water in the atmosphere.

2. Sublimation

Sublimation occurs when snow or ice changes directly into water vapour without becoming water. It usually occurs as a result of dry winds and low humidity. Sublimation can be observed on mountain peaks, where the air pressure is quite low. The low air pressure helps to sublimate the snow into water vapour as less energy is utilised in the process. Another example of sublimation is the phase where fog bellows from dry ice. On earth, the primary source of sublimation is from the ice sheets covering the poles of the earth.

3. Condensation

The water vapour that accumulated in the atmosphere eventually cools down due to the low temperatures found at high altitudes. These vapours become tiny droplets of water and ice, eventually coming together to form clouds.

4. Precipitation

Above 0 degrees centigrade, the vapours will condense into water droplets. However, it cannot condense without dust or other impurities. Hence, water vapours attach itself on to the particle’s surface. When enough droplets merge, it falls out of the clouds and on to the ground below. This process is called precipitation (or rainfall). In particularly cold weather or extremely low air pressure, the water droplets freeze and fall as snow or hail.

5. Infiltration

Rainwater gets absorbed into the ground through the process of infiltration. The level of absorption varies based on the material the water has seeped into. For instance, rocks will retain comparatively less water than soil. Groundwater can either follows streams or rivers. But sometimes, it might just sink deeper, forming aquifers.

If the water from rainfall does not form aquifers, it follows gravity, often flowing down the sides of mountains and hills; eventually forming rivers. This process is called runoff. In colder regions, icecaps form when the amount of snowfall is faster than the rate of evaporation or sublimation. The biggest icecaps on earth are found at the poles.

All the steps mentioned above occur cyclically with neither a fixed beginning nor an end.

Also Read:  Back to the Oceans

Implications of Water Cycle

• The water cycle has a tremendous impact on the climate. For instance, the greenhouse effect will cause a rise in temperature. Without the evaporative cooling effect of the water cycle, the temperature on earth would rise drastically.
• The water cycle is also an integral part of other biogeochemical cycles.
• Water cycle affects all life processes on earth.
• The water cycle is also known the clean the air. For instance, during the process of precipitation, water vapours have to attach themselves on to particles of dust. In polluted cities, the raindrops, apart from picking up dust, also pick up water-soluble gas and pollutants as they fall from the clouds. Raindrops are also known to pick up biological agents such as bacteria and industrial soot particles and smoke.

Read more about the water cycle with diagram by registering @  BYJU’S Biology

• Biogeochemical cycles
• Oxygen Cycle
• Carbon Cycle
• Nitrogen Cycle

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the major 4 steps in the water cycle.

The major 4 steps are evaporation of water, then condensation, precipitation and collection. The sun evaporates water sources and contributes to the formation of water vapor. These water vapour accumulate in the atmosphere as clouds. The vapours condense into water droplets and when enough droplets merge, it falls out of the clouds as rain.

What is the difference between evaporation and condensation?

Evaporation is a process by which water changes into water vapour. Condensation is an opposite process by which water vapour is converted into tiny droplets of water.

Why is water cycle important?

Water cycle has a huge impact on determining the global climate. It is also an integral part of other biogeochemical cycles. It affects all life processes on Earth either directly or indirectly.

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Water (Hydrologic) Cycle Activities: Fun Project, Vocabulary, Diagram, and Quiz

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Description

Teach the water (hydrologic, hydrological) cycle with a fun project, diagrams, pictorial vocabulary sheet, practice, and quiz. Third, fourth, and fifth grade students learn through quick, simple science activities.

Open the preview to take a closer look.

1. Kids simulate the process in a baggie. Completing the project is simple and fun.

• Kids draw water cycle terms on a zipper-style baggie.
• They add about three centimeters of water to the baggie. Tint with food coloring, if desired.
• Next, students tape their hydrologic cycles to a sunny window.
• Finally, they watch as the sun’s energy engages the cycle.

2. They answer questions about their models to deepen understanding.

3. Students explore water cycle diagrams and terminology. A labeled illustration and vocabulary page with pictures help them learn about:

• Evaporation - Water from the oceans, lakes, rivers, ponds, and even mud puddles rises into the atmosphere as vapor.
• Transpiration - Water from the plants rises into the atmosphere as vapor.
• Condensation – As vapor in the atmosphere cools, it combines with particles of dust and forms cloud droplets. As more vapor condenses, the droplets grow in size.
• Precipitation – When cloud droplets have grown to a size where they can no longer escape the pull of gravity, they fall to Earth as rain, sleet, snow, hail, etc.
• Percolation – When forms of precipitation fall to Earth, H2O infiltrates the soil.
• Plant uptake – Plants pull it from the soil into their roots.
• Runoff – When the soil can hold no more water, it begins to stream downhill.
• River discharge – Rainwater flows from smaller tributaries to larger tributaries to rivers. It travels downstream in the water until it is discharged into a lake or ocean.

4. They practice. Two pages are included:

• Matching vocabulary activity
• Labeling a diagram of the hydrologic cycle

5. As a culmination, students take a quiz. The format is the same as the practice with matching and labeling.

What's Included:

• Project directions (To create a water cycle in a bag, you will need zipper baggies, food coloring, permanent markers, and tape.)
• Project questions
• Pictorial vocabulary list - evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, percolation, plant uptake, runoff
• Printable diagram with labels
• Review and practice

Your students will love it – and you will too!

Enjoy teaching!

Brenda Kovich

I'm committed to continual improvement. This resource was updated and enhanced in August of 2024.

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What Is the Water Cycle?

Water can be found all over Earth in the ocean, on land and in the atmosphere. The water cycle is the path that all water follows as it moves around our planet.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Data source: NASA's Earth Observatory

On Earth, you can find water in all three states of matter: solid , liquid and gas . Liquid water is found in Earth’s oceans, rivers, lakes, streams—and even in the soil and 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 does water travel from a glacier to the ocean to a cloud? That’s where the water cycle comes in.

The Water Cycle

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The Sun’s heat causes glaciers and snow to melt into liquid water. This water goes into oceans, lakes and streams. Water from melting snow and ice also goes into the soil. There, it supplies water for plants and the groundwater that we drink.

Snow falling on a glacier during winter months usually replaces any water that melts away in the summer. However, due to Earth’s overall warming , most glaciers today are losing more ice than they regain, causing them to shrink over time.

How does water get into the atmosphere? There are two main ways this happens:

• Heat from the Sun causes water to evaporate from oceans, lakes and streams. Evaporation occurs when liquid water on Earth’s surface turns into water vapor in our atmosphere.
• Water from plants and trees also enters the atmosphere. This is called transpiration .

Warm water vapor rises up through Earth’s atmosphere. As the water vapor rises higher and higher, the cool air of the atmosphere causes the water vapor to turn back into liquid water, creating clouds. This process is called condensation .

When a cloud becomes full of liquid water, it falls from the sky as rain or snow—also known as precipitation . Rain and snow then fill lakes and streams, and the process starts all over again.

Clouds, like these over the savannah in Nairobi, Kenya, form when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses back into liquid water. Credit: Department of State

Why Do We Care About the Water Cycle?

We care about the water cycle because water is necessary for all living things. NASA satellites orbiting Earth right now are helping us to understand what is happening with water on our planet.

Water in the Soil

Humans need water to drink, and to water the plants that grow our food. NASA has a satellite called SMAP —short for Soil Moisture Active Passive —that measures how much water is in the top 2 inches (5 cm) of Earth’s soil . This can help us understand the relationship between water in the soil and severe weather conditions, such as droughts.

Water in the Atmosphere

NASA’s CloudSat mission studies water in our atmosphere in the form of clouds. CloudSat gathers information about clouds and how they play a role in Earth’s climate. Also, the international satellite called the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM) observes when, where and how much it rains and snows on Earth.

Water in the Oceans

As Earth’s climate becomes warmer, land ice at the North and South Poles starts melting. The water then flows into the ocean, causing sea level to rise. NASA’s Jason-3 mission—short for Joint Altimetry Satellite Oceanography Network-3 —orbits Earth collecting information about sea level and ocean temperature. This helps track how the ocean responds to Earth’s changing climate.

NASA is also tracking how Earth’s water moves all around our planet. This is the work of the GRACE-FO —or Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment-Follow On —mission. It tracks the movement of water from one month to the next, and can even measure changes in deep groundwater hundreds of feet below Earth’s surface.

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.

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evaporation

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

• USGS Water Science School - Evaporation and the Water Cycle
• SERC - InTeGrate - Evaporation and Climate
• Academia - Evaporation
• Chemistry LibreTexts - Evaporation
• National Geographic - Evaporation
• evaporation and condensation - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• evaporation - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

evaporation , process by which an element or compound transitions from its liquid state to its gaseous state below the temperature at which it boils ; in particular, the process by which liquid water enters the atmosphere as water vapour in the water cycle .

Evaporation, mostly from the oceans and from vegetation, replenishes the humidity of the air. It is an important part of the exchange of energy in the Earth-atmosphere system that produces atmospheric motion and therefore weather and climate . This transfer of water between Earth ’s surface and the atmosphere occurs when some molecules in a water mass have attained sufficient  kinetic energy  to eject themselves from the water surface. The main factors affecting evaporation are temperature (specifically, the temperature difference between the evaporating surface and the air),  relative humidity ,  wind  speed, and  solar radiation . See also vaporization ; transpiration .

Xinanjiang-Based Interval Forecasting Model for Daily Streamflow Considering Climate Change Impacts

• Published: 05 September 2024

Cite this article

• Hao Ke   ORCID: orcid.org/0009-0005-7037-2613 1 ,
• Wenzhuo Wang 1 , 2 ,
• Zengchuan Dong 1 , 2 ,
• Benyou Jia 3 ,
• Ziqin Zheng 1 &
• Shujun Wu 1  

Growing streamflow uncertainty, which is especially evident in high and cold regions, is one indication of climate change impacts on the hydrological cycle. In this work, an interval forecasting model that couples a snowmelt module and an uncertainty module is established based on the Xinanjiang model. The proposed model can consider climate change impacts by quantifying streamflow variations in the form of interval forecasts. Its performance was assessed by applying it in the headwater region of the Yellow River Basin. Interval forecasts and uncertainty analyses were conducted, and results show that the model can accurately describe the daily streamflow process in the study area. Unlike the deterministic forecasting model, the interval forecasting model effectively addresses shortcomings in forecasting high-flow scenarios. Furthermore, uncertainty analyses indicate that the model parameter K (the ratio of potential evapotranspiration to pan evaporation) plays a crucial role in water balance computations; the model parameter B (exponent of the distribution of the soil tension water capacity curve) exhibits sensitivity, suggesting challenges in attaining complete soil saturation across the entire basin. The insensitivity of the snowmelt module parameters implies that the proportion of snowmelt streamflow is relatively low in the annual streamflow and remains stable. The results can provide theoretical references for assessing the uncertainty of streamflow variations and for reservoir regulation in the Yellow River Basin.

An interval forecasting model is established to consider the climate change impacts based on the Xinanjiang model.

The interval forecasting model effectively addresses shortcomings in forecasting high-flow scenarios compared with the deterministic forecasting model.

The evapotranspiration plays a crucial role on the water cycle, influencing the calculation of water balance in the study area.

The proportion of snowmelt streamflow is relatively low in the annual streamflow and remains stable in the study area.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the grant support from National Key Research and Development Program of China (grant number 2023YFC3209302).

This work was financially supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China (grant number 2023YFC3209302).

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College of Water Resources and Hydrology, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China

Hao Ke, Wenzhuo Wang, Zengchuan Dong, Ziqin Zheng & Shujun Wu

Yellow River Research Center, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China

Wenzhuo Wang & Zengchuan Dong

Nanjing Hydaulic Research Institute, Nanjing, 210029, China

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Contributions

Hao Ke: Methodology, Visualization, Writing-original draft and Writing-review &editing. Wenzhuo Wang: Investigation, Funding acquisition and Writing-review &editing. Zengchuan Dong: Resources and Supervision. Benyou Jia: Validation, Writing-review &editing. Ziqin Zheng: Investigation and Resources. Shujun Wu: Writing-review & editing.

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Correspondence to Wenzhuo Wang or Zengchuan Dong .

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Ke, H., Wang, W., Dong, Z. et al. Xinanjiang-Based Interval Forecasting Model for Daily Streamflow Considering Climate Change Impacts. Water Resour Manage (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-024-03909-6

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Received : 04 April 2024

Accepted : 04 June 2024

Published : 05 September 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-024-03909-6

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