The Water Cycle

W.A.L.T: Investigate the processes in the Water cycle.

• Look at the diagram and name as many processes as you can.
• Extension: Can you name any geographical features.
 Water moves into the atmosphere
• ……………….. from the Sun heats the Earth and the temperature of the
water in the rivers, lakes and oceans increases.
• When this happens, some of the liquid water forms water……. vapour
• This is calledevaporation
………………. This happens because some of the particles in
energy to break free from the forces
the liquid water gain enough…………….
gas. Water can also
holding them together and they change to a ………..
plants this is called………………...
evaporate into the atmosphere from………..; transpiration
1. Name 3 water sources.
Lakes, rivers, oceans, seas, waterfalls etc.
2. What is the energy source that allows evaporation to
happen? The sun outside

3. Name the process by which plants release water into the

atmosphere. Transpiration
 Water in the atmosphere cools down
air
Water in the ……………………… cools down as the water
atmosphere it cools and changes
vapour goes up into the…………………,
droplets of water in the air, forming
back into little ……………….
condensation
clouds. This process is called……………………….
It lose
happens because the particles in the water vapour
currents
……… energy and cannot move so quickly. Air …………………
high in the atmosphere move the clouds around the
world.
1. It is the Winter term in England and Harry Potter
returns to his dormitory after a game of Quidditch
outside. His glasses ‘steam’ up. Explain in as much
detail as you can why this happens.

Harry walks in from the cold air outside into a warm

room. The cold vapour from the air condenses onto his
glasses as water droplets.
 Water falls from clouds
• Water falls from …………clouds
when a lot of water has condensed,
the water droplets in the clouds
heavyfor the air to hold them.
become too ……………..
Earth
• The droplets fall back to ………….. as rain. If the drops become
colder they may form snow, hail or sleet. This process is
called…………………………. precipitation
• The precipitation that falls then collects in rivers
and open water such as large lakes and the oceans.

1. Name as many forms of precipitation as you can.

Rain snow, hail or sleet
2. Explain how rain forms.
Water vapour in the air cools to
water droplets in clouds that fall
as rain.
 Water falls on the
lands
Earth
• How water is collected depends on where it……….. evaporate
Some precipitation will
fall directly onto the rivers, lakes and oceans and will…………, then the
cycle
…………… starts again.
• If the precipitation falls on plants it may evaoprate.from the leaves back to
atmosphere
the ………………….. or trickle down to the ………….
ground
roots
• The plant ……….. in the ground may then take up some of this water.
• Some of the water from precipitation will soak into the soil and rocks as
groundwater. Some of this water will stay in the shallow soil layer and
move towards streams and rivers.
• When groundwater soaks deeper into the soil, it refills underground stores.
1. Explain how groundwater is collected.
When groundwater soaks deeper into the soil, it
refills underground stores and then pumped up.

Extension: What is the effect on groundwater if people start paving their front gardens?
 Water in the ground
• In cold climates the precipitation may build up on land as snow, ice or glaciers.
If the temperatures rise, this solid snow and ice melt into liquid water, which
soaks into the ground or flows into rivers or the ocean.
• Some of the precipitation will soak into the soil and move through the ground
until it reaches the rivers or the open water, large lakes and the oceans.
• Water that reaches the surface of the land may flow directly across the
ground into the rivers, lakes and oceans. This water is called surface run-off.
• When there is a lot of surface run-off, soil can be carried off the land and
into the rivers. This can cause them to become silted up and blocked.

1. What is meant by surface run-off?

Water that reaches the surface of the land may flow directly across the ground
into the rivers, lakes and oceans. This water is called surface run-off.
2. What are the dangers of surface run-off?
When there is a lot of surface run-off, soil can be carried off the
land and into the rivers. This can cause them to become silted up
and blocked.