The Journey of Water

Water is a vital part of life on Earth, and it has an amazing journey through nature. This journey is called the water cycle, and it moves water through different parts of our environment.

 

It all begins with the sun. When the sun shines on rivers, lakes, and oceans, it warms the water. This causes some of the water to turn into vapor, which is an invisible gas. This process is called evaporation. The water vapor rises into the sky and forms clouds.

 

Inside the clouds, the water vapor cools and changes back into tiny droplets of liquid. This is known as condensation. As more and more droplets come together, they grow heavier. When they are too heavy to stay in the cloud, they fall back to the ground as precipitation, which can be rain, snow, or hail.

 

When water returns to the ground, it flows into rivers and streams. Some of it soaks into the soil and becomes groundwater, which plants and animals use to survive. Other water flows back into oceans and lakes, starting the cycle all over again.

 

This continuous cycle keeps Earth’s water clean and fresh. Without it, the planet would not be able to support life. The water cycle is like nature’s way of recycling, ensuring that every living thing has the water it needs to grow and thrive.

 

Vocabulary Words and Definitions

• Vapor – A gas that forms when a liquid changes into a gas, like water turning into steam.

• Evaporation – The process of a liquid turning into a gas.

• Condensation – When a gas cools down and becomes a liquid.

• Precipitation – Water that falls from the sky in the form of rain, snow, or hail.

• Groundwater – Water that is stored in the soil and used by plants and animals.