2. Living things don’t just interact with each other in a community. cc licensed flickr photo by jfortugaleza: http://flickr.com/photos/30594175@N05/3230112383/ They also interact with the non-living components of their environment

3. Ecosystem - an area in which a community interacts with its non-living environment

4. Two components of an ecosystem: biotic - living (i.e. the community) abiotic - non-living

5. Matter within an ecosystem is recycled in biogeochemical cycles. cc licensed flickr photo by lanier67: http://flickr.com/photos/lanier67/184302007/ pathway through which a chemical element or substance moves through both biotic and abiotic components

7. Evaporation - liquid water absorbs heat to become water vapour

8. Condensation - water vapour in air condenses into tiny liquid water droplets

9. Evapotranspiration - water evaporates from the leaves of plants

10. Sublimation - solid ice/snow turns directly into gaseous water vapour.

11. Precipitation - water droplets in air fall to surface of earth as liquid rain or solid snow/hail.

12. Infiltration - liquid water seeps into soil to become groundwater

13. Discharge - groundwater drains into rivers or lakes

14. Storage - water can remain for extended periods in underground reservoirs called aquifers.