The Water Cycle Notes worksheet - Free Printable

The worksheet provided is about the water cycle and its various processes. Below, I will fill in the blanks for each term and explain the solution.

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1. Precipitation

- Definition: Condensed water that falls back to Earth.
- Examples: Rain, snow, sleet, hail.

Explanation: Precipitation occurs when water droplets or ice crystals in clouds become too heavy and fall to the Earth's surface as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

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2. Condensation

- Process: The process of a gas changing into a liquid due to a decrease in temperature or pressure.

Explanation: Condensation is the change of state from gas (water vapor) to liquid (water droplets). This happens when water vapor cools down or the pressure increases, causing the molecules to come closer together and form liquid water.

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3. Sublimation

- Process: The process of solid and ice changing into gas without first melting into liquid.

Explanation: Sublimation is the direct transition of a solid (ice) into a gas (water vapor) without passing through the liquid phase. This often occurs in cold climates where ice turns directly into vapor.

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4. Surface Run-off

- Water that reaches Earth’s surface, flows over land, and reaches lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Explanation: Surface run-off refers to water that flows over the land after precipitation. It moves downhill and eventually collects in bodies of water like lakes, rivers, and oceans.

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5. Evaporation

- Process: The process of a liquid changing into a gas due to an increase in temperature or energy.

Explanation: Evaporation is the change of state from liquid (water) to gas (water vapor). This occurs when water absorbs heat energy, causing the molecules to move faster and escape into the atmosphere.

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6. Transpiration

- Plants absorb water through their roots and then give off water vapor through their leaves.

Explanation: Transpiration is the process by which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere through small openings in their leaves called stomata. This is part of the water cycle and helps in the movement of water from the ground to the atmosphere.

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7. Infiltration

- Water soaks into the ground from the ground level and moves into aquifers through cracks and pores.

Explanation: Infiltration is the process by which water seeps into the soil and rock layers beneath the Earth's surface. It moves through cracks and pores in the ground and can collect in underground reservoirs called aquifers.

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8. Accumulation

- Water collects in rivers, lakes, oceans, and other bodies of water or as glacial caps and snow caps.

Explanation: Accumulation refers to the collection of water in various forms and locations on Earth. Water accumulates in rivers, lakes, oceans, and also in the form of ice (glacial caps and snow caps).

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Final Filled Worksheet:

#### Precipitation
- Condensed water that falls back to Earth.
- Examples: Rain, snow, sleet, hail.

#### Condensation
- The process of a gas changing into a liquid due to a decrease in temperature or pressure.

#### Sublimation
- The process of solid and ice changing into gas without first melting into liquid.

#### Surface Run-off
- Water that reaches Earth’s surface, flows over land, and reaches lakes, rivers, and oceans.

#### Evaporation
- The process of a liquid changing into a gas due to an increase in temperature or energy.

#### Transpiration
- Plants absorb water through their roots and then give off water vapor through their leaves.

#### Infiltration
- Water soaks into the ground from the ground level and moves into aquifers through cracks and pores.

#### Accumulation
- Water collects in rivers, lakes, oceans, and other bodies of water or as glacial caps and snow caps.

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Final Answer:

\boxed{
\text{See explanations above for filled-in answers.}
}