The Water Cycle — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the correct answer for each question.
1. Why does water evaporate from puddles on a sunny day?
A) The wind blows it away
B) The sun heats the water and turns it into vapor
C) The ground soaks it all up
D) It freezes and disappears
The sun heats the water and turns it into vapor through evaporation, which is why puddles disappear on sunny days.
2. What causes clouds to form in the sky?
A) Smoke rises from the ground
B) Water vapor cools and turns into tiny water drops
C) Wind pushes fog up high
D) Rain floats back up into the sky
Water vapor cools and turns into tiny water drops through condensation, and these drops group together to form clouds.
3. What happens to water vapor as it rises higher in the sky?
A) It gets hotter
B) It turns into ice cream
C) It cools down
D) It stays the same temperature
Water vapor cools down as it rises higher because the air temperature is lower at greater heights.
4. Which is the correct order of the water cycle?
A) Precipitation, evaporation, collection, condensation
B) Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, collection
C) Collection, precipitation, condensation, evaporation
D) Condensation, collection, evaporation, precipitation
The correct order is evaporation, condensation, precipitation, collection because water heats up, forms clouds, falls as rain, and gathers in bodies of water.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word on the line.
1. The sun provides the energy that drives the water cycle.
The sun provides the heat energy that drives evaporation, which is the starting force behind the entire water cycle.
2. During evaporation, liquid water changes into an invisible gas called water vapor.
During evaporation, liquid water changes into water vapor, an invisible gas that rises into the atmosphere.
3. Condensation is the opposite of evaporation.
Condensation is the opposite of evaporation because it changes gas back into liquid, while evaporation changes liquid into gas.
4. Clouds are made of millions of tiny water drops or ice crystals.
Clouds are made of millions of tiny water drops or ice crystals that formed when water vapor condensed in the cool air.
5. Without the sun, the water cycle would stop.
Without the sun, the water cycle would stop because there would be no heat energy to evaporate water and keep the cycle going.