Explain the Water Cycle in your Own Words Worksheet - Twinkl - Free Printable

Let’s solve this step by step.

We are looking at a diagram of the water cycle with blank boxes to fill in. The words we can use are:

- evaporation
- transpiration
- warm air rises
- condensation
- precipitation
- surface run-off
- infiltration
- ground water store

Also, there’s a hint: “Start like this: Water from the sea (or a similar body) is warmed by the Sun.”

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Step 1: Start at the bottom left — water from the sea is warmed by the sun → that’s evaporation. So the first box (bottom left arrow going up from water) = evaporation

Step 2: Next, above the trees on the right side — plants release water vapor → that’s transpiration. So the box near the trees pointing up = transpiration

Step 3: Both evaporation and transpiration send water vapor into the air → then warm air rises carries it upward. So the box above those two arrows = warm air rises

Step 4: As warm air rises, it cools → water vapor turns back into liquid droplets → that’s condensation. So the box where clouds form = condensation

Step 5: When clouds get too heavy, water falls as rain/snow → that’s precipitation. So the box showing rain falling = precipitation

Step 6: Some water flows over land into rivers/lakes → that’s surface run-off. So the box showing water flowing downhill over ground = surface run-off

Step 7: Some water soaks into the ground → that’s infiltration. So the box showing water going down into soil = infiltration

Step 8: Water stored underground → that’s ground water store. So the bottom-most box under the ground = ground water store

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Now let’s match them to the diagram positions (from top to bottom, left to right as they appear):

Top row (left to right):
- First box (above sun/water): evaporation
- Second box (above clouds): condensation
- Third box (right side, above trees): transpiration

Middle row:
- Box below condensation (rain falling): precipitation
- Box below transpiration (water flowing over land): surface run-off
- Box below precipitation (water soaking into ground): infiltration

Bottom row:
- Left box (underground storage): ground water store
- Right box (arrow going up from ground? Wait — actually, looking again — the last box might be for “warm air rises” — but we already used that.)

Wait — let’s re-check the diagram structure based on standard water cycle diagrams.

Actually, here’s the correct order based on typical layout:

From the description and common water cycle diagrams:

1. Water evaporates from ocean → evaporation
2. Plants release water → transpiration
3. Warm moist air rises → warm air rises
4. Cools and forms clouds → condensation
5. Rain/snow falls → precipitation
6. Water runs off land → surface run-off
7. Water soaks into ground → infiltration
8. Stored underground → ground water store

So matching to the blanks in the image (assuming standard placement):

Top left (above water): evaporation
Top middle (clouds forming): condensation
Top right (above trees): transpiration
Middle left (rain falling): precipitation
Middle center (water flowing over land): surface run-off
Middle right (water entering ground): infiltration
Bottom left (underground reservoir): ground water store
And one more — between evaporation/transpiration and condensation → warm air rises

But since there are 8 blanks and 8 terms, we assign each once.

Final assignment based on logical flow:

Blank 1 (bottom left, rising from water): evaporation
Blank 2 (rising from trees): transpiration
Blank 3 (above both, moving up): warm air rises
Blank 4 (in cloud area): condensation
Blank 5 (falling as rain): precipitation
Blank 6 (flowing over land to river): surface run-off
Blank 7 (soaking into ground): infiltration
Blank 8 (deep underground): ground water store

Yes — that fits perfectly.

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Final Answer:
evaporation, transpiration, warm air rises, condensation, precipitation, surface run-off, infiltration, ground water store