Water Cycle
Contents
Key Stage 2
Meaning
The Water Cycle is how water from the ocean creates clouds which then fall as rain, running down rivers back into the ocean.
About The Water Cycle
- Without the water cycle we could not have fresh water in rivers and lakes.
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The water cycle has three phases:
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Evaporating
Water in oceans, lakes and rivers evaporates to become water vapour. The warmer the weather the quicker the water evaporates.
Condensing
Water vapour that rises high into the air, cools down, and condenses into millions of water droplets that we call a cloud.
Precipitation
Water droplets in a cloud group together and when the droplets are big enough they fall as rain. When the water droplets can freeze to become snow.
Key Stage 3
Meaning
The Water Cycle is a series of processes that recycle water.
Key Stage 4
Meaning
The Water Cycle is a series of processes that recycle water.
About The Water Cycle
- The water cycle provides a constant supply of fresh water in rivers and lakes.
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The water cycle happens due to several processes:
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Evaporation
Water in oceans, lakes and rivers evaporates to become water vapour. The warmer the weather the quicker the water evaporates.
Transpiration
Water absorbed through the roots of plants travels up to the leaves where it evaporates.
Condensation
Water vapour that rises high into the air, cools down, and condenses into millions of water droplets that we call a cloud.
Precipitation
Water droplets in a cloud group together and when the droplets are big enough they fall as rain. When the water droplets can freeze to become snow.
References
AQA
- Water cycle, page 112, GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
- Water cycle, page 269, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy; Biology, CGP, AQA
- Water cycle, page 279, GCSE Biology; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
- Water cycle, page 330, GCSE Biology, CGP, AQA
- Water cycle, page 89, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
- Water cycle, pages 259-60, GCSE Biology, Hodder, AQA
- Water cycle, pages 97, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 2, Hodder, AQA
Edexcel
- Water cycle, page 103, GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
- Water cycle, page 303, GCSE Biology, CGP, Edexcel
- Water cycle, page 72, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
- Water cycle, pages 196-197, GCSE Biology, Pearson, Edexcel