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=__The Water Cycle__=

What makes up a water cycle?
 * Evaporation is when the sun heats up water and it turns into vapor or steam. The vapor or steam rises up into the air.
 * Condensation is when the vapor or steam in the air gets cold and then turns back into liquid. This action creates clouds.
 * Precipitation is when the clouds cannot hold anymore water. They get heavy and either rains, hails, sleets or snows back to earth.
 * Collection is when the rain, sleet, hail or snow falls back into the bodies of water. If it lands back on the earth it becomes part of what is called "ground water" that the plants and animals use for whatever purpose. It could possible run back into the bodies of water and then the cycle starts again.

Below is a diagram of the water cycle.



Questions to ponder... 1. What are clouds made of? 2. How does rain form? 3. Where does the water go after it evaporates? 4. What does the sun do in the cycle? 5. Why is the water cycle important?

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