Unit: Phases of water Lesson 3

You already know that water can be found in liquid and solid forms.

Do you know what happens

when water is found in the form of a gas?

Evaporation
When water is released into the air it is called

evaporation. The sun heats the water from rivers, lakes and oceans which turns water into a vapor. If water is in the solid form (snow) the sun will continuously shine on the snow until it changes back to the liquid state.
Have you ever wondered where a puddle goes after it

rains?

 Another process similar to evaporation is

transpiration.
Transpiration is when plants lose their water. The water will then turn into a vapor and go through

the same process.

 When air is heated, it rises. This is because the

molecules are more spread out when hot which causes these molecules to rise above the cooler air. As the air rises it begins to cool.

 What happens when you take a cool liquid

out into the hot air?

Condensation
Occurs when a gas changes back into the liquid form.
Water vapor turns into tiny drops of water. This happens when water reaches cold air.

As the water vapor rises it begins to cool and lose its

heat. This is the process that forms clouds in the sky.

Precipitation
Once the clouds form if the air below is warm rain will

fall from the clouds. If the air below is cool snow, sleet, or hail will fall from the clouds. This shows that the heating and cooling of water can have different outcomes in the weather.

Inquiry - Make it Rain

One student from each table will bring the glass jar to

the front of the room and poor about two inches of water into the jar. Quickly place the plate on top of the jar. After a minute place ice cubes on top of the jar. Watch and see what happens.

Discussion
What did you notice happening in the jar?