FREE! - Label the Water Cycle Worksheet (teacher made) - Free Printable

To solve this puzzle, we need to match the words from the list on the right to the correct empty boxes in the water cycle diagram. Let's look at what is happening in each part of the picture.

Step 1: The Sun and Heat Source
Look at the bright yellow object in the top right corner. It gives off heat and light. In the water cycle, this energy drives everything.
* Match: The box pointing to the sun should be labeled sun.

Step 2: Water Turning into Vapor (Evaporation)
Notice the arrows pointing straight up from the large body of water (the ocean/sea) towards the sky. This shows water turning into gas because of the sun's heat.
* Match: The box near these upward arrows over the water is evaporation.

Step 3: Plants Releasing Water (Transpiration)
There are trees on the land with arrows pointing up from them. While "transpiration" isn't in the list, this process is often grouped with evaporation or simply shown as water vapor rising. However, looking at the list, we have specific terms for other parts. Let's look at the clouds.

Step 4: Clouds Forming (Condensation)
The water vapor rises and cools down to form clouds. There is a box pointing directly to a white cloud.
* Match: The box pointing to the cloud is condensation.

Step 5: Water Falling Down (Precipitation)
On the left side, there is a grey cloud with rain falling onto the mountain. Rain, snow, and hail are all forms of precipitation.
* Match: The box under the raining cloud is precipitation.

Step 6: Water Flowing Over Land (Surface Run-off)
When rain falls on the ground, some of it flows over the surface into rivers and streams. There is an arrow showing water flowing from the land into the sea.
* Match: The box pointing to the water flowing over the ground into the sea is ground run-off. (Note: Sometimes called surface run-off).

Step 7: Rivers and Streams
There is a blue line winding through the landscape, representing a river carrying water.
* Match: The box pointing to the winding blue line on the land is rivers and streams.

Step 8: Water Soaking Underground (Infiltration/Groundwater)
Some rain soaks into the soil and moves underground. There are arrows showing water moving beneath the surface.
* Match: The box in the brown earth layer showing water moving underground is underground water.

Step 9: Collecting in Large Bodies (Collection)
All the water eventually ends up back in the big body of water (ocean/sea). This is where water collects.
* Match: The box inside the large body of water is collection. (Alternatively, the label "sea" might fit here, but "collection" describes the stage in the cycle. Let's re-evaluate based on standard diagrams. Usually, the big body is labeled "Ocean" or "Sea". Let's look at the remaining words: *wind, sea*. Is there a place for wind? Yes, there is an arrow blowing clouds from right to left. That represents wind moving the clouds. So, the box near the arrow between clouds is wind.)

Let's refine the placements based on the specific boxes visible:

1. Top Right (Yellow Object): sun
2. Arrow blowing clouds left: wind
3. Box pointing to Cloud: condensation
4. Box under Raining Cloud: precipitation
5. Arrows going up from Ocean: evaporation
6. Box inside the Ocean/Sea: collection (or potentially sea, but collection is a stage. Let's look at the last few spots).
7. Box pointing to River: rivers and streams
8. Box pointing to water flowing over land: ground run-off
9. Box in the ground (aquifer): underground water

Wait, let's look closer at the diagram's specific blank spots.
- Top center, above the first cloud: Likely condensation or just labeling the cloud.
- Arrow between clouds: wind.
- Under the rain cloud: precipitation.
- Arrows up from water: evaporation.
- Inside the water body: collection or sea. Given "sea" is an option, it likely labels the body of water itself. But "collection" is the process. Let's assume the box *in* the water is collection as it's the final stage before evaporation again. Or perhaps the box pointing to the water body is sea. Let's look at the options again.
Options: *rivers and streams, precipitation, ground run-off, wind, underground water, condensation, sea, sun, evaporation, collection.*

Let's map them definitively:
1. Sun icon: sun
2. Arrow moving clouds: wind
3. Cloud formation: condensation
4. Rain falling: precipitation
5. Vapor rising from ocean: evaporation
6. Water flowing into ocean from land: ground run-off
7. River path: rivers and streams
8. Water underground: underground water
9. The Ocean itself: sea (This is a noun label, fitting the object).
10. The process of gathering: collection. Where is the last box? There is a box at the bottom right in the water. If "sea" labels the water, "collection" might be redundant or vice versa. Let's look at the box *above* the evaporation arrows. That's usually condensation. The box *pointing* to the cloud is condensation. The box *in* the sky near the sun? No.

Let's try this standard mapping:
- Sun: Points to the sun.
- Evaporation: Points to arrows rising from the sea.
- Condensation: Points to the cloud forming.
- Precipitation: Points to the rain.
- Wind: Points to the arrow moving clouds.
- Rivers and streams: Points to the river.
- Ground run-off: Points to water flowing over the surface.
- Underground water: Points to the aquifer/groundwater flow.
- Collection: Points to the water gathering in the ocean/lake.
- Sea: Labels the body of water.

Looking at the blanks in the image:
1. Top middle (above cloud): Condensation
2. Left middle (under rain cloud): Precipitation
3. Left lower (on land/river): Rivers and streams
4. Bottom left (underground): Underground water
5. Bottom middle (flowing into sea): Ground run-off
6. Right middle (arrows up): Evaporation
7. Right bottom (in water): Collection (or Sea)
8. Top right (Sun): Sun
9. Between clouds (arrow): Wind
10. There is one more box? Ah, the box pointing to the *body of water* might be Sea, and the process is Collection. Often these diagrams label the *place* as Sea/Ocean and the *stage* as Collection. If there are 10 words and roughly 10 blanks, they all fit.

Let's assign the most logical position for each:
- Sun: The sun itself.
- Wind: The arrow pushing clouds.
- Condensation: The cloud.
- Precipitation: The rain.
- Evaporation: Arrows up from water.
- Collection: The water body (where water collects).
- Sea: Could be an alternative label for the water body, but if "Collection" is used, "Sea" might not have a spot unless one box is specifically labeling the "Sea". Let's assume the box *in* the water is Collection. Is there a box labeled Sea? Maybe the box pointing to the water is Sea and the process is implied? Or maybe one box is Sea and another is Collection?
Actually, looking at the layout:
- Box 1 (Top, near sun): Sun
- Box 2 (Left, under rain): Precipitation
- Box 3 (Left, on river): Rivers and streams
- Box 4 (Bottom Left, underground): Underground water
- Box 5 (Bottom Center, flow to sea): Ground run-off
- Box 6 (Right, arrows up): Evaporation
- Box 7 (Right, in water): Collection
- Box 8 (Center, cloud): Condensation
- Box 9 (Between clouds): Wind
- Box 10 (Pointing to the water body?): Sea

If I must choose the best fit for the visible blanks:
1. Sun -> The Sun
2. Wind -> Arrow moving clouds
3. Condensation -> The Cloud
4. Precipitation -> The Rain
5. Evaporation -> Arrows rising from water
6. Collection -> The Ocean/Lake (gathering place)
7. Run-off -> Water flowing over land
8. Rivers and Streams -> The river
9. Underground Water -> Groundwater
10. Sea -> The body of water (if distinct from collection).

Since I cannot see the exact number of blanks clearly enough to distinguish "Sea" vs "Collection" placement without guessing, I will provide the standard pairings for the water cycle components shown.

Final Answer:

Here are the correct labels for the Water Cycle diagram:

* Sun: The yellow sun in the sky.
* Wind: The arrow showing air moving the clouds.
* Condensation: The formation of clouds.
* Precipitation: Rain falling from the clouds.
* Evaporation: Water vapor rising from the sea.
* Collection: Water gathering in the sea/ocean.
* Ground run-off: Water flowing over the land into the sea.
* Rivers and streams: The water flowing in channels on the land.
* Underground water: Water soaking into the ground.
* Sea: The large body of salt water.