Water Cycle Poster

Evaporationand Condensation

Emily Wilbur

Evaporation

For the water cycle to work, water has to get from the Earth's surface back up into the skies so it can rain back down. This happens when a leiquid is heated. The heat gives the liquid molecules more energy. If they gain enough energy, the molecules will break away from the surface. These molecules escape the liquid and enter the air as a gas.

Condensation

Condensation is the state of change from a gas to a solid. This happens when molecules in a gas cool down. As the molcules lose heat, they lose energy. As a result they slow down. They move closer to other gas molecules, these molecules then collect together to form s liquid.

How and Why

Evaporation is able to happen due to the Suns energy and the ability to break the bonds that hold the liquid water together. Condensation happens because of temperature changes. Warmer air can contain more water vapor than colder air. When air rises up from the heated Earth's surface into the sky to where the temperature is much colder, condensation happens. The water molecules condense into tiny water droplets that form into clouds.

Sources

https://water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle-kids-adv.html https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/evaporation-and-condensation/353112 https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Map%3A_Introductory_Chemistry_(Tro)/12%3A_Liquids_Solids_and_Intermolcular_Forces/12.04%3A_Evaporation_and_Condensation