Information Report

This is my information report on the water cycle.
The water cycle is the cycle that water goes through. It is also known as the hydrologic cycle. The water is recycled and there is no new water created and no water is lost in the process. The water changes state as a liquid, solid and gas. There are four steps in the water cycle and the four steps are: evaporation, condensation, precipitation and runoff.

Evaporation
Evaporation is an invisible process where the water from oceans, lakes and rivers rises into the atmosphere as a gas. On hotter days the process of evaporation is greater, because the sun’s energy breaks the bonds that hold the liquid water molecules together. Water vapor in the air is known as humidity, in some hot places there is more humidity. After the water turns into a gas, the water rises into the atmosphere and forms clouds. This step is called condensation.

Condensation
Condensation is when the water vapor collides with the dust in the air and then the clouds are formed. In the atmosphere, cooler temperatures cause the water vapor to condense (water vapor turning back to a liquid). Colder air can contain less water vapor than warmer air, so the warm air rises to where the temperatures a much cooler, that is how condensation happens. Then the clouds get too heavy and the water in the clouds comes down as rain, hail, snow etc.

Precipitation
Precipitation is the stage where the clouds get too heavy and the water inside the cloud comes down as rain, hail, snow etc. In some places there is less precipitation and in others there may be more precipitation. As the water comes down it goes through a process called infiltration when the water infiltrates into the ground. After the water infiltrates into the ground it goes to the plants. The water that doesn’t go into the ground goes to the ocean, lakes and rivers. The water that lands in the rivers goes back the oceans and lakes, this step is called runoff.
Runoff
This is the process when the water from precipitation goes back to the ocean, lakes and rivers. The water flows through rivers back to the ocean. It’s like water running down on your driveway. It also goes under the ground and back to the ocean, this is called the groundwater flow and it comes out of vents that are in the oceans.


After the water goes back to oceans, lakes and rivers the process is repeated and repeated and repeated. There is no new water is created, it is the same water used by your great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandparents.