Describe the three states of water and give an example of where each can be found in the water cycle.

Solid (ice) in glaciers, liquid water in oceans and rivers, and gas (water vapor) in the atmosphere.

Explain the processes of evaporation and condensation in the water cycle. How are they related?

Evaporation is when liquid water turns into water vapor and rises into the atmosphere. Condensation is when water vapor cools and turns back into liquid droplets, forming clouds. They are related because evaporation puts water into the atmosphere, and condensation takes it out.

What role does solar energy play in the water cycle?

Solar energy drives the water cycle by providing the energy for evaporation.

Describe two different paths water can take through the water cycle.

Water can evaporate from the ocean, condense into clouds, and fall back as rain into the ocean. Alternatively, water can fall as snow, become part of a glacier, melt, and runoff into a river.

What is transpiration, and how does it contribute to the water cycle?

Transpiration is the process by which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere through stomata in their leaves. It contributes to the water cycle by returning water from the ground to the atmosphere.

Climate Change and the Water Cycle

Grade 12th Grade · Science · 45 min

What's Included

Learning Objective

I can model the effects of climate change on the water cycle.

Warm-Up Video

Khan Academy · 4:27

The water cycle | Weather and climate | Middle school Earth and space science | Khan Academy

Guided Notes

3 key concepts

1
The water cycle describes how water continuously moves from the ground to the atmosphere and back again, changing between solid, liquid, and gas states.
2
Evaporation occurs when the sun heats water and turns it into water vapor, which then rises and cools, leading to condensation and the formation of clouds.
3
Water returns to the Earth as precipitation, such as rain or snow, and may follow different paths, including becoming groundwater, part of a glacier, or being absorbed by plant roots for transpiration.

Practice Questions

10 questions · Multiple choice & Short answer

Exit Ticket

Quick comprehension check

“Describe one way that climate change can affect the water cycle, based on the information presented in the video.”

Complete Lesson Package

Get all 3 ready-to-use resources:

Teacher GuideComplete lesson plan

Student DocPrintable student handouts

SlidesReady-to-use presentation

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