Water Cycle Vocabulary Cards Faceoff Orientation Fix
Water Cycle Snap-Cards
Fold to reveal the definition and detailed diagram
Evaporation
The Definition
Heat from the sun warms up liquid water, turning it into water vapor (gas) that rises into the air.
Condensation
The Definition
Water vapor cools down and turns back into liquid droplets that group together to form clouds.
Cooling Air
Precipitation
The Definition
Water droplets in clouds get heavy and fall back to Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
Rain
Snow
Hail
Collection
The Definition
Water pools together in large bodies of water like oceans, lakes, and rivers after falling.
Gathering
Transpiration
The Definition
The process where plants release water through tiny pores in their leaves into the air.
Runoff
The Definition
Water that flows over the land surface and runs into streams, rivers, and oceans.
Aquifer
The Definition
An underground layer of rock, sand, or gravel that holds and allows the flow of water.
Confining Layer
Ground Water
The Definition
Water that fills the cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layers.
Water Table
Unsaturated Zone (Air + Water)
Saturated Zone (All Water)
Infiltration
The Definition
The process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil and moves downward.
Watershed
The Definition
An area of land where all the water that falls in it drains off into a common outlet.
Reservoir
The Definition
A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply, often held by a dam.
Storage
Estuary
The Definition
The coastal area where a freshwater river meets and mixes with the salty ocean.
Fresh
Salty
