A process is an ordered series of actions, events or changes that make something happen.

A liquid is a form of matter that can flow and does not have a specific shape like solid matter does.

Water vapour is water in a gas form rather than liquid form, for example when it evaporates from being heated.

The water cycle

Geography

Water flow around buildings

Water around the world

Water supply and demand in the UK

Water ownership

Water inequalities

Links to 'Rivers: What, where and how?' where knowledge of the water cycle can be applied, and to 'Climate zones: What are they and why do they matter?', where the distribution of rainfall can be used along with temperature to understand global patterns.

Links to 'Cold places: What is it like at the North and South Poles?' and 'Hot places: What is it like near the Equator?', and to work on weather and distribution of rainfall and temperature.

This unit introduces the water cycle and explores how water moves through natural and built environments. Pupils investigate how water is used, supplied and owned, and consider how access to water differs in the UK and around the world.

The water cycle: why is it important?

Precipitation is water that falls from the sky as rain, snow, hail or sleet.

If something has been purified it has had any bad substances removed to make it pure again.

When two or more things are connected to each other they are interconnected.

Energy is the power used to make things work, for example to provide heat or light or to operate machinery.

Trade is the buying and selling of goods and services between people, companies and countries.

Disease is an illness or sickness caused by poor health, infection or harmful substances, but not by injury or accident.

Settlements are places where groups of people live and work.

A reservoir is a lake built behind a dam to store water.

Aquifers are porous rocks that can store and filter water.

Pipelines transfer something from one place to another, usually a liquid or a gas.

Consumption is the process of using up resources.

Converting waste materials into new materials and objects.

The population is the total number of people living in a particular area.

Industry is the business of turning raw materials into finished products, usually in factories.

A resource is anything that can be used for a human need.

Sanitation systems take dirty water and other waste products away.

17 Global Goals created by the United Nations (UN), designed to be a way of working towards a better and more sustainable future for the world.

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The water cycle: why is it important?

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