The Water Cycle and Weather

Mr. Leslie’s Science Class

Three States of Water

• ¾ of Earth’s surface is covered by water.

• Water is found on Earth in three forms:

• Solid

• Liquid

• Gas

• Streams• Lakes• Rivers

Water vapor

(you cannot see it)

Evaporation

• Evaporation is the change of state from liquid to gas

• Even on a cold day, heat from the Sun can make some water from a lake evaporate.

Condensation

• Condensation is the change of state from gas to liquid.

• When water vapor, is in the air, connects with cool air, the water vapor condenses back to liquid form.

Water Cycle

• The water cycle is the movement of water into the air as water vapor and back to Earth’s surface as precipitation.

Precipitation

• Is any form of water that falls from clouds to Earth’s surface

Slee

t or

Types of Clouds

• Stratus• Cumulus

• Cirrus• Cumulonimbus

Cloud Website - NASA

Stratus Clouds

• Stratus clouds are low-level clouds that form in layers. Stratus clouds usually bring rain.

Cumulus Clouds

• Cumulus clouds are fluffy and have flat bases. They form low in the sky. They usually mean fair/good weather.

• They look like animals!!!

Cirrus Clouds

• Cirrus clouds are thin, feathery clouds made of ice crystals. They form high in the sky. Cirrus clouds indicate fair/good weather.

Cumulonimbus Clouds

• Cumulonimbus clouds are normally the tallest clouds and bring thunderstorms.

Questions to answer

• Tall clouds that produce thunderstorms are called?

• What are the four types of precipitation?

• What are the stages of the Water Cycle?

• What is happening when you glass of water has drops of water running down the outside of your glass?

• What are the three states of water?