The Water Cycle

AIM: TO LOOK AT THE WATER CYCLE AND HOW CLIMATE CHANGE IS AFFECTING IT.

Definition: Water cycle is a type of cycle in which the water circulates and the process of how it occurs. The circulation is between the earth's seas; oceans, atmosphere then land. It involves precipitation, then the condensation rain and the likes of snow, bodies of water, which then return to our atmosphere by transpiration and evaporation.

Scientific words:

• Evaporation. When water is heated by radiant energy it turns into water vapour.
• Transpiration. Evaporation from plants.
• Condensation. When water vapour cools, molecules join together and form clouds.
• Precipitation. When clouds get heavy the waters falls as rain, sleet, hail, or snow.
• Acidification: the action or process of making or becoming acidic.

We will be conducting an experiment that looks at the different ways that climate change is affecting the water cycle.

THE WATER CYCLE EXPERIMENT

Bag 1: Normal Water cycle

Bag 2: Water cycle with CO2 added: like Oceans in climate change

Bag 3: Water cycle with ice added: like Antarctica in climate change

Bag 1#

Material:

1.  Plastic bags/ziplock bags.
2.  Vivid Markers.
3.   Water.
4.   Food colouring.

Steps:

1. Grab your ziplock bag lay it on a hard surface. 
2.  Hold your vivid and draw the water cycle by drawing water, clouds, sun, etc.
3.  Label your drawing by putting the process, like evaporation, transpiration, etc.
4.  Insert 1 cup of water in the bag and put 2 drops of food colour in the bag(preferably blue).
5.  Stick the bag to a location where there is sunlight and observe within several days.

Two Images:

Bag 2#

Material:

1. Litmus Paper 
2.  Soda water
3.  Plastic bag/Ziplock bag.
4.  Vivid markers
5.  Food colouring

Steps:

1. Grab your ziplock bag lay it on a hard surface. 
2.  Hold your vivid and draw the water cycle by drawing water, clouds, sun, etc.
3.  Label your drawing by putting the process, like evaporation, transpiration, etc.
4.  Insert 1 cup of soda water in the bag; put 2 drops of food colour in the bag(preferably blue) and pinch your Litmus paper to the lock on the bag.
5.  Stick the bag to a location where there is sunlight and observe within several days.

Two Images:

Findings: To be determined.....

Conclusion:

In conclusion, evaporation in the ocean is the cause of heat, more specifically it would most likely come from sunlight.  The precipitation involves the condensation of water that turns into clouds.  [Meaning that with the temperature rising from climate change there would be larger clouds; meaning harsher rain and will last longer]

The next phase is the transpiration which is when the water is carried and absorbed by plants; where it then changes to vapour and is then again, released to the atmosphere.