Earth Science Water Vocab

Front 1

Absorption

Back 1

The process by which plants take up water from the ground.

Front 2

Condensation

Back 2

The process by which a gas, such as water vapor, changes to a liquid, such as water.

Front 3

Dew Point

Back 3

the temperature at which condensation begins

Front 4

Evaporation

Back 4

The process by which the molecules at the surface of a liquid, such as water, absorb enough energy to change to a gaseous state, such as water vapor.

Front 5

Freezing

Back 5

Change of a liquid to a solid

Front 6

Groundwater

Back 6

Water that fills the cracks and pores in underground soil and rock layers.

Front 7

Hydrosphere

Back 7

Earth's water and ice. One of the four spheres into which scientists divide the Earth.

Front 8

Infiltration

Back 8

The process by which water passes into the ground.

Front 9

Melting

Back 9

Change of a solid to a liquid

Front 10

Phase

Back 10

State in which matter can exist; solid, liquid, gas or plasma.

Front 11

Phase change

Back 11

A physical change of matter from one phase to another.

Front 12

Precipitation

Back 12

Forms of water such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail that fall from clouds and reach Earth's surface.

Front 13

Runoff

Back 13

Water that flows over the gound surface rahter than soaking into the ground.

Front 14

Sublimation

Back 14

Change from the solid phase of matter directly into the gas phase.

Front 15

Transpiration

Back 15

The process by which plants release water vapor through their leaves.

Front 16

Vaporization

Back 16

Change of a liquid to a gas

Front 17

Water cycle

Back 17

The continuous process by which water moves from Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back, passing through the living and nonliving parts of the environment.