The water cycle involves the evaporation of water from bodies of water by the sun, which condenses to form clouds. The clouds precipitate in the form of rain, snow, or hail and infiltrate into the soil as groundwater or flow into bodies of water. This starts the water cycle again as the water is evaporated once more by the sun. The main stages are evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration.

1. Water CycleBy Sheila Francisco & Vanessa Desani

2. Water is recycled everyday in the earth. This movement is called WATER CYCLE. The main stages of water cycle are calledevaporation, precipitation, condensation, and infiltration.

3. The sun evaporates liquid water from lakes, rivers, and oceans, changing into water vapor. This process is called EVAPORATION.

4. The air rises, and gets cooler. The water vapor condenses and changes into water droplets. The droplets pack together and form clouds. This process is called CONDENSATION.

5. The clouds get heavier and the wind blows them towards the ground. This process is called PRECIPITATION. This may happen on sleet, snow, rain, or hail forms.

6. The water falls from the clouds, and part of it penetrates in the soil, forming ground water. This process is called INFILTRATION. Most of the water goes back to rivers, lakes and oceans.

7. Then, the WATER CYCLE starts again!

8. Besides, we see that SUBLIMATION is when ice and snow sublimate straight into water vapor without melting into water.

9. And finally, DEPOSITION is whenwater vapor changes straight into ice (Ex: frost and snowflakes )

10. Now that you have learned about the WATER CYCLE, find the names of the four main stages of water cycle in the picture below:

11. Referenceshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/hawee-ta3kees/3843555440http://ciencias5ano.blogs.sapo.pt/483.htmlhttp://www.seagefa2010.blogspot.com/http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewerdoc/2742714582/sizes/m/in/photostream/http://bunnychicboutique.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.htmlhttp://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/groundwater/infil.htmhttp://www.osovo.com/diagram/watercyclediagram.htmhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/13025462@N08/3364751873http://www.flickr.com/photos/lambertwm/3188527125http://www.flickr.com/photos/just-karl/407478278http://www.wbrschools.net/techcds/webpage%20science56/Science%20and%20the%20Environment/the%20water%20cycle.gif (modified at Paint)