1. Water evaporates from lakes, rivers, and oceans by the heat of the sun.
2. Moisture from molecules forms clouds. This is called condensation.
3. The clouds burst and water rains down on earth.
4. Water flows back to lakes, rivers and oceans.
5. The cycle then starts over again.
There is about the same quantity of water on earth as there was when earth formed, because of the water cycle. Dinosaurs once drank the same water we did! Every day, the sun evaporates 1,000,000,000,000 tons of water! Now that's a lot!
In a 100 year period, the average molecule spends 98 years in the ocean, 20 months as ice, around 2 weeks in rivers and lakes, and less than a week in the atmosphere. Water has always moved around earth, never staying in the same place. In nature, water flows downward from the force of gravity. Water regulates earth's temperature and our body's temperature.
Water is very important for us to survive. We can survive without food for many weeks, but we can survive for only a few days without freshwater. Water is crucial for all living things.
We as humans are made up of water as well. More than 1/2 of the weight of a human is water. Our brain contains 75% water, our blood consists of 83% water and our bones is 25% water.
All human beings use water everyday- brushing teeth, washing cars, washing the dishes, etc. Households turn on water faucets an average of 70 times a day. That's how much we love this liquid!
Not many people know about the water around them, about the water cycle and how important this substance is to them. So are you more wiser about water? How can you help conserve it? The water we are able to use would be enough to support everyone, if we use it with caution and care.
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