Earth Science: The Water Cycle Worksheet

Question 1

What is the water cycle?

Accepted Answer

The water cycle is the movement of water between Earth, the air, and clouds over and over again.

Question 2

Fill in the blank: When the Sun warms water in a puddle and it changes into water vapor, this is called _____.

Accepted Answer

This is called evaporation. Evaporation happens when liquid water changes into water vapor.

Question 3

A cloud forms when tiny drops of water come together in the sky. What part of the water cycle is this?

Accepted Answer

This part of the water cycle is condensation. Condensation happens when water vapor cools and turns into tiny water drops.

Question 4

Name three kinds of precipitation.

Accepted Answer

Three kinds of precipitation are rain, snow, and hail. Sleet is another kind of precipitation.

Question 5

What happens to rainwater after it falls to the ground?

Accepted Answer

Rainwater may soak into the soil, flow into rivers or lakes, or collect in puddles and other places.

Question 6

Look at a water cycle diagram. Put these steps in order: precipitation, evaporation, condensation.

Accepted Answer

The steps are evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Water warms and rises, forms clouds, and then falls back to Earth.

Question 7

Why is the Sun important in the water cycle?

Accepted Answer

The Sun is important because it gives heat that helps water evaporate from oceans, lakes, rivers, and puddles.

Question 8

A student says, "Clouds are only made of air." Explain why this is not correct.

Accepted Answer

This is not correct because clouds are made of tiny water droplets or tiny ice crystals floating in the air.

Question 9

Draw or describe what evaporation looks like at a lake on a warm day.

Accepted Answer

Evaporation at a lake looks like water changing into invisible water vapor and rising into the air because of heat from the Sun.

Question 10

What is collection in the water cycle?

Accepted Answer

Collection is when water gathers in places such as oceans, lakes, rivers, ponds, or puddles after it falls to Earth.

Question 11

Circle the word that means water falling from clouds: evaporation, precipitation, condensation.

Accepted Answer

The correct word is precipitation. Precipitation means water falling from clouds as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

Question 12

How can water from a river become part of a cloud?

Accepted Answer

Water from a river can evaporate into water vapor, rise into the air, cool, and condense into tiny droplets that form a cloud.

Question 13

After a rainstorm, a puddle is on the sidewalk. Two days later, the puddle is gone. What most likely happened?

Accepted Answer

The puddle most likely evaporated. Heat from the Sun helped the liquid water change into water vapor in the air.

Question 14

Is water in the water cycle always a liquid? Explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

No, water in the water cycle is not always a liquid. It can be a liquid, a gas called water vapor, or a solid such as ice or snow.

Question 15

Write a short story about one drop of water traveling through the water cycle. Use at least three water cycle words.

Accepted Answer

A good story should describe a water drop moving through steps such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. For example, the drop evaporates from the ocean, condenses in a cloud, falls as rain, and collects in a lake.

Earth Science: The Water Cycle

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