Key learning points

1. There are four main processes in the water cycle. Evaporation of liquid water creates water vapour in the atmosphere.
2. Air containing water vapour rises, then cools down causing condensation which turns water vapour into droplets of water.
3. Water droplets in clouds grow bigger and bigger until they fall from the clouds as wet weather called precipitation.
4. Precipitation is then collected and stored in water bodies, or by vegetation, or soaks into the ground or down drains.

Keywords

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

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

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

Common misconception