Science glossary · South Africa
Water cycle
The way water moves between the land, the oceans and the air, over and over.
Water evaporates, condenses into clouds, falls as precipitation, and collects in oceans, lakes and the ground before evaporating again.
Example: A puddle dries up on a sunny day: the water has evaporated into the air.
Lessons, worksheets, practice and tools on this: Rocks, soil and water.
Related words
- Erosion: When wind, water or ice carry away bits of rock and soil.
- Weathering: The slow breaking down of rock into smaller pieces by wind, water, ice or plants.
- Mineral: A solid substance found in nature that was never alive and has a definite chemical makeup.
- Fossil: The preserved remains or traces of a living thing from long ago.