Upgrade to remove ads
Only $2.99/month

Water Cycle Vocabulary Study Guide

Terms in this set (22)

cycle
a sequence of events that occurs in the same order
hydro-
a prefix that means water
states of matter
the three phases of matter:solid, liquid, gas
atmosphere
the layer of gas that surrounds the earth
molecules
the smallest unit that makes up a substance
water vapor
water in the form of a gas
water cycle
the continuous movement of water, between the atmosphere and the earth's surface, over and over again
evaporation
the process by which the sun heats the water on earth and turns it into a gas called water vapor which then rises into the sky
transpiration
the process by which plants release water vapor (gas) into the atmosphere
condensation
the process that occurs as water vapor (gas) rises higher into the sky, cools down, and turns back into water drops (liquid) forming clouds
precipitation
any form of water that falls from the sky: rain, sleet, snow, hail
groundwater
water that is absorbed into the ground
runoff
water that flows off earth's surface into bodies of water such as streams, rivers, and oceans
the sun
produces heat energy which powers the water cycle
collection
water that is stored in the ground and the ocean
rain
precipitation in liquid form
snow
precipitation that falls as small white flakes of ice
sleet
precipitation that falls as a mixture of snow and rain as well as frozen rain drops
hail
precipitation that falls as lumps of ice
heat energy
energy produced from a heat source, such as the sun
saturation
the extent to which something is absorbed
infiltration
the process by which water on the ground enters the soil
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...