The Water Cycle - Middle School and High School

Test the waters by practicing this list of terms related to the water cycle. Review different types of precipitation and learn about processes like evaporation, condensation, and photosynthesis.
37 words 1855 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. accumulation
    an increase by natural growth or addition
  2. aquifer
    underground layer of rock or sand that yields groundwater
  3. atmosphere
    the mass of air surrounding the Earth
  4. cloud
    a visible mass of water or ice particles suspended at a considerable altitude
  5. condensation
    atmospheric moisture that has changed from a gas
  6. conservation
    careful management of the environment and natural resources
  7. cycle
    a periodically repeated sequence of events
  8. dew point
    the temperature at which the water vapor in the air becomes saturated and condensation begins
  9. drainage basin
    the entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries; an area characterized by all runoff being conveyed to the same outlet
  10. estuary
    the wide part of a river where it nears the sea
  11. evaporation
    the process of becoming a suspension of particles in the air
  12. gaseous
    existing as or having characteristics of a gas
  13. glacier
    a slowly moving mass of ice
  14. ground water
    underground water that is held in the soil and in pervious rocks
  15. humidity
    wetness in the atmosphere
  16. hydrology
    the branch of geology that studies water on the earth and in the atmosphere
  17. infiltration
    the slow passage of a liquid through a medium
  18. irrigation
    the act of supplying dry land with water by artificial means
  19. ocean
    a large body of water that is part of the hydrosphere
  20. percolation
    the slow passage of a liquid through a filtering medium
  21. permeable
    allowing fluids or gases to pass or diffuse through
  22. photosynthesis
    formation of compounds in plants aided by radiant energy
  23. precipitation
    the falling to earth of any form of water
  24. rainfall
    water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
  25. reservoir
    lake used to store water for community use
  26. river
    a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
  27. runoff
    the occurrence of surplus liquid exceeding capacity
  28. seepage
    the slow escape of liquid or gas through small holes
  29. spring
    a natural flow of ground water
  30. stoma
    a pore in a plant through which gases and vapor can pass
  31. storage
    the act of keeping something for future use
  32. sublimation
    a change directly from the solid to the gaseous state
  33. uptake
    a process of taking up or using up or consuming
  34. vapor
    a visible suspension in the air of particles of a substance
  35. watershed
    the geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries
  36. water table
    underground surface below which the ground is fully saturated with moisture
  37. water vapor
    water in a vaporous form diffused in the atmosphere but below boiling temperature
Created on Tue Jan 24 15:48:48 EST 2017 (updated Fri Mar 31 17:12:50 EDT 2017)

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