The puddle that never ends
A puddle dries in the sun, becomes a cloud, rains onto a mountain, and trickles back down — the same water going in circles for millions of years. Earth runs on cycles like this for water and even rock.
Nothing is wasted — it cycles
Water cycles endlessly: the sun evaporates it into vapor, it condenses into clouds, falls as precipitation, and collects in rivers and oceans to start again. Rock cycles too — heat and pressure turn one rock type into another over time.
- Evaporation — liquid water becomes vapor
- Condensation — vapor forms clouds
- Precipitation — rain or snow falls
- Collection — water gathers and the cycle repeats
Lab · Make a cloud
- Imagine a puddle on a sunny day.
- Trace where the water goes as it warms.
- Follow it up into the air and back down as rain.
What you should see: The puddle evaporates, condenses into clouds, and returns as precipitation — the water cycle.