The Hydrologic Cycle
Earth has a limited amount of water. Water goes around and around and around and around and around and around. The water cycle is driven by solar power. The water cycle has four main parts.
Evaporation
Condensation
Precipitation
Collection
The water of the world is mainly stored in ice caps, fresh water, lakes/rivers, ocean, atmosphere, snow/ice, groundwater.
Ocean: 97.2%
Atmosphere: 0.001%
Rivers and Streams: 0.0001%
Groundwater: 0.31%
Lakes: 0.01%
Ice caps and glaciers: 2.15%
Evaporation
Condensation
Precipitation
Collection
The water of the world is mainly stored in ice caps, fresh water, lakes/rivers, ocean, atmosphere, snow/ice, groundwater.
Ocean: 97.2%
Atmosphere: 0.001%
Rivers and Streams: 0.0001%
Groundwater: 0.31%
Lakes: 0.01%
Ice caps and glaciers: 2.15%
- Compared with most other common liquids, water has a high capacity to absorb and store heat.
- Water is the universal solvent.
- Compared with other common liquids water had a high surface tension.
- Among the common compounds, water is the only one whose solid form is lighter than its liquid form.
- Sunlight penetrates water to variable depths.