Learn about the different stages of the water cycle.
The water cycle is…
No, hang on, not that kind of cycle.
And what's that you got there?
A shrink ray!
Right, go on, into the sea with you.
So the sun heats up water in the sea, river and lakes, and turns it into water vapour through evaporation.
Then that water vapour rises into the air.
As it rises into the sky, the water vapour begins to cool and condense into water droplets, forming clouds.
Whoa, that looks comfy.
The clouds in the sky are moved around by the wind.
As the water droplets get heavier they fall out of the clouds as snow, hail or rain, which is called precipitation.
Rains that falls on the land collects in lakes and rivers, which take it back to the sea and the whole process…yep…begins again.
Whoa. Bye then.
The water cycle
Water on Earth is constantly moving. It is recycled over and over again. This recycling process is called the water cycle.
1. Water evaporates into the air
The sun heats up water on land, in rivers, lakes and seas and turns it into water vapour. The water vapour rises into the air.
2. Water vapour condenses into clouds
Water vapour in the air cools down and changes back into tiny drops of liquid water, forming clouds.
3. Water falls as precipitation
The clouds get heavy and water falls back to the ground in the form of rain or snow.
4. Water returns to the sea
Rain water runs over the land and collects in lakes or rivers, which take it back to the sea. The cycle starts all over again.
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