Water Cycle

rain

a form of liquid precipitation that falls when the air temperature is above freezing (above 32 degrees F/ O degrees C

snow

a form of solid precipitation that falls when the air temperature is below freezing (below 32 degrees F/0 degrees C

precipitation

a form of water that condenses in the atmosphere and falls to earth's surface (hail, rain, sleet, snow); determined by the conditions in the atmosphere

sleet

a mixture of solid and liquid precipitation that typically occurs during winter when precipitation freezes of melts as it passes through different temperatures

hail

solid precipitation that typically falls during summer storms. Forms high in the atmosphere where there are freezing temperatures

run-off

that portion of precipitation that runs into other bodies of water rather than being absorbed into ground water or evaporating

water cycle

the continuous movement of water through the environment by evaporation, condensation, precipitation and run-off

water vapor

the gas state of water

collection area (ocean)

the ocean holds 97% of the total water on the planet; 78% of global precipitation occurs over the ocean, and it is the source of 86% of global evaporation

evaporation

the process when a liquid changes to a gas (vapor), caused by an increase in temperature.

condensation

the process when water vapor changes back to a liquid, caused by a decrease in temperature.