Evaporation and condensation · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

The water cycle: evaporation and condensation

Science · Earth's Systems · ages 7-9
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. During evaporation, what happens to liquid water?

    • It freezes into solid ice as its surroundings cool.
    • It changes into invisible water vapour.
    • It stays liquid while soaking into spaces below ground.

  2. What is water vapour?

    • Water as an invisible gas
    • Water frozen into visible ice crystals
    • Liquid water mixed with particles of mud

  3. Condensation changes water vapour into liquid water drops.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. Match these descriptions in order: water flows over ground; water is stored in rock spaces below ground; leaves release water vapour. Which labels fit?

    • Runoff; groundwater; transpiration
    • Groundwater; transpiration; runoff
    • Transpiration; runoff; groundwater

  5. Which stage fills the gap in this common water-cycle path?

    Evaporation?PrecipitationCollection
    • Runoff
    • Transpiration
    • Condensation

  6. Snow falls from a cloud onto a school roof. Which water-cycle word describes the snow falling?

    • Condensation: vapour changes into liquid drops.
    • Precipitation: water falls from a cloud.
    • Collection: water gathers in a surface store.

  7. A visible cloud and invisible water vapour are the same form of water.

    Circle one:   True   False

  8. Jamal says, 'It has not rained in our town for weeks, so Earth's water cycle has stopped.' Which fact checks his idea?

    • All evaporation on Earth stops when one town has several weeks without rain.
    • Water moves between land and air only while rain falls in that town.
    • Water can evaporate here while rain falls elsewhere.
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

The water cycle: evaporation and condensation W1-mt_zCGwH1OQZa-s1

  1. It changes into invisible water vapour. · Evaporation changes liquid water into water vapour. Freezing and soaking underground are different processes.
  2. Water as an invisible gas · Water vapour is the invisible gas form of water.
  3. True · Condensation is the change from water vapour to liquid water.
  4. Runoff; groundwater; transpiration · Runoff flows over ground. Groundwater occupies spaces below ground. Transpiration releases water vapour through leaves.
  5. Condensation · In this path, evaporation is followed by condensation before precipitation and collection.
  6. Precipitation: water falls from a cloud. · Snow falling from a cloud is precipitation. Precipitation can be solid or liquid water.
  7. False · Water vapour is gas. Clouds contain liquid drops, solid ice crystals or both.
  8. Water can evaporate here while rain falls elsewhere. · A local dry spell does not stop water movement across Earth.
Worksheet · LightMySky