Water exists in 3 forms and continuously cycles through the process of evaporation, transpiration, condensation, and precipitation. The water cycle has occurred for billions of years as water is evaporated from oceans and transpired from plants, condenses into clouds, and precipitates as rain or snow back into rivers, lakes, and oceans to repeat the cycle. Key parts of the water cycle include evaporation of water into vapor, transpiration of water through plants, condensation of vapor into liquid water in clouds, and precipitation of water back to land and sea.

4. Water exists in 3 forms

5. The Water Cycle

6. Water has been around for
billions of years

7. Water gets recycled over
and over again
Image courtesy of US Environmental Protection Agency

8. What is the Water Cycle?
Transpiration
Evaporation
Condensation
Precipitation
Accumulation

9. This is the water cycle!
precipitation
evaporation
accumulation
transpiration
condensation

10. “Transpiration”
the evaporation of water from plants

11. “Transpiration”
Do plants really sweat?
Plants like me release water
to supply photosynthesis,
bring minerals up from the
roots, and cool ourselves off.

12. “Evaporation”
The conversion of water from a liquid to a gas
Solar energy drives evaporation of water from the
ocean.
The evaporated water changes from a liquid form into
water vapor a gaseous form.

13. “Condensation”
The transformation of water vapor back into liquid water by cooling
Evaporated water is warmed and rises into the air
where
it eventually cools and condenses to form clouds.

14. “Precipitation”
Rain, hail, or snow falling from the clouds
due to the condensation of water
With enough condensed water, you get rain!
When clouds become very heavy with
condensed water, the water is released
in the form of rain, hail, or snow.

15. “Accumulation”
The collection of precipitation into rivers, lakes, and oceans.
This completes the water cycle!

16. This is the water cycle!
precipitation
evaporation
accumulation
transpiration
condensation

17. The End