Water Cycle Expository Essay

Lydia Waybright

Mr. Sharpe

Earth Science

November 8, 2013

Water Cycle Expository Essay

        The water cycle is a vital part of our day to day life. We experience it every single day.  There are three phases of the water cycle—evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.  It is important to know about each phase of the water cycle and how they impact the world.

The water cycle does not occur in any particular order, but one phase to study is evaporation.  In evaporation, water changes from liquid to gas.  Water evaporates because the energy from heat breaks the bonds that hold water molecules together.  In this phase Latent Heat is absorbed.  Transpiration is the form of evaporation that comes from plants, and evapotranspiration is the process of water vapor being released into the atmosphere because of transpiration.  Evaporation is also useful in producing some consumer products.  For example, seawater is put in evaporation ponds so that salt and other minerals will be obtained when the water evaporates.  The evaporation process is constantly happening and is useful for all humans.

Another phase of the water cycle is condensation, where gas becomes liquid.  In this phase, Latent Heat is released.  Because of condensation, clouds are formed when vapor in the atmosphere becomes liquid, and clouds are formed to hold the water.  Fog is similar.  It is water droplets suspended in the atmosphere near ground level; fog is essentially clouds closer to the ground.  Contrails are man-made clouds.  When a jet flies by and leaves water vapor in the cold atmosphere, that is a contrail.  They can be used for weather forecasting.  If they go away quickly, there will be good weather.  That is how condensation is experienced every day.

The last phase of the water cycle is precipitation, which is when water is released from the clouds in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.  The water in the clouds gets too heavy and drops back down to the Earth.  Once water hits the ground, it soaks into the ground and becomes groundwater.  Precipitation also feeds the oceans.  The water falls into lakes and rivers and eventually flows into the oceans.

These are details about each phase of the water cycle.  Evaporation, condensation, and precipitation happen every day.  Without the water cycle, things that occur normally every day would not be able to function.  The water cycle is extremely important to our world.  

Weather Videos

How is a warming climate changing weather? *Current examples
How does weather affect our lives?
What should we do to prepare?
How important are accurate weather reports?
     The warming climate is changing weather patterns because of the heat in the atmosphere.  It causes more flooding and increases the dangers of hurricanes in certain zones.
Weather affects our lives because we have to plan how to be prepared for it day to day.  We have to have accurate weather reports to know how to prepare for each day.  It could be something small like whether to carry an umbrella, but it can also be much more detrimental.  If there is a tornado or hurricane on its way, people have to know to get out of the area and go somewhere safe.
    There are many ways that people can prepare for inclimate weather.  For one thing, they can rely on weather reports, which is why it is important for accurate weather reports to be accurate. In addition, people can take precautions such as getting a small generater or having a plan in case of a tornado.  People have to be educated about the safest ways to get through storms.
     Weather has been very harsh lately.  There have been several tornadoes in Indiana and severe storms in the Philippines.  The people affected by these storms have to have plans of action when these storms are coming along.  Preparation and knowledge are key because these storms are not going to stop occuring.

Water Cycle CMap

Dropbox Files for Scientific Method Project

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/plqupu9g921t4iy/lgIRF6PHt_

Questions Surface Temperature Analysis

Lydia Waybright and Keely Adkins

Mr. Sharpe

2^nd mod

October 16, 2013

Question

Is the temperature of a wet surface different than the temperature of a dry surface? Why or why not?

Abstract

This project determines whether a wet surface has a different general temperature than a dry surface.  We hypothesized that a wet surface would be cooler. By examining the steps of the process and analyzing a chart of the data from the Softball field, it is clear that there is not a correlation between temperature and wetness/ dryness.  The temperatures were scattered and there was no direct line regarding whether the surface was wet or dry. 

Hypothesis

The temperature of a surface will change depending on if it is wet or dry.  A dry surface will be warmer than a wet surface because wet surfaces have moisture to keep them cool.

Procedure

1.      Gather in classroom

2.      Take a surface sheet with a specific surface.  Fill in the information- names, date, school

3.      Walk to the edge of the teacher’s parking lot and examine cloud coverage as a group

4.      Break off into different groups and go to specific surface

5.      Mark whether the surface is wet or dry

6.      Take the temperature with an IRT

7.      Repeat 9 times in different areas of the surface

8.      Record data on surface sheet

9.      Return to classroom and return IRT

10.  Record data into excel spreadsheet and globe.gov

 

 

 

 

Collect Results

Softball Infield

Analysis

The chart comes from the temperatures of the surface and whether it was wet or dry.  This is taken from the softball infield.  It shows that there is not a correlation between the wetness and dryness and the temperature of the surface.  It is all scattered.

Conclusion

The temperature of a dry surface is not different than the temperature of a wet surface. Based on the chart, there is no correlation between the surface temperature and the dryness or wetness of the surface.  The chart is scattered.  The temperature differences are based on other factors, but whether the surface is wet or dry does not affect it. 

Presentation

Brief Power Point based on your report and delivered to the class

Atmosphere Notes

     The atmosphere is a thin layer of air that protects the Earth's surface from extreme temperatures.  It has four layers: the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere.  It is a mixture of solids, liquids, and gases. 
     The early atmosphere was different than it is today.  Volcanoes produced nitrogen and carbon dioxide, but little oxygen.  Early organisms began producing oxygen over two billion years ago.  Eventually, the oxygen formed an ozone layer that protects the Earth from harmful rays. 
     The gases in the atmosphere are 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, .04% water vapor, .037% Carbon Dioxide, and .93% Argon.  Each gas has a different purpose, and there are also traces of neon, helium, methane, krypton, xenon, hydrogen, and ozone. 
     The atmosphere is changing because of pollution.  Pollutants mix with oxygen and other chemicals and form smog.  There are solids such as dust, salt, and pollen; and there are liquids which include water droplets and droplets from volcanoes.
    The troposphere is the lowest layer.  It extends up to 10 kilometers, and it contains 99% of the water vapor and 75% of the atmospheric gases.  It is the first layer above the surface, and it contains most of the clouds and half of the Earth's atmosphere.  Weather occurs in the troposphere.  Most of the layer's heat is from the Earth, and temperature cools about 6.5 degrees C per kilometer of altitude.
     The next layer is the stratosphere which is from 10 kilometers to 25 kilometers above the Earth's surface.  A portion of this layer contains the ozone layer, which absorbs harmful rays from the sun.  Th ozone layer is necessary for life! However, pollutants called CFC's are destroying the ozone.  Planes fly in the stratosphere because it is very stable.
    The next layer is the mesophere; it goes to 85 kilometers above the surface.  It is the coldest layer and contains little ozone.  Meteors or rock fragments burn up here.  The ionosphere, a layer of charged particles, is in this layer. 
     The thermosphere is the thickest layer; it goes from 85 to 500 kilometers above the surface.  It has auroras and is known for high temperatures.  It warms as it filters out X-Rays and gamma rays from the sun.  The ionosphere is here as well; it helps carry out radio waves. 
     Next is the exosphere, which merges into space.  This is the upper limit of our atmosphere.  It is the outer layer where space shuttles orbit.
     The sun's energy is either reflected or absorbed.  Albedo is the fraction of solar radiation reflected back into space; it is harmless.  Absorbtion is the fraction of solar radiation NOT reflected into space; this is greenhouse.  The greenhouse effect is solar energy that is absorbed by the Earth's land, and water is changed to heat that moves/radiates back into the troposphere where gases absorb the heat.
    The Urban Heat Island Effect occurs when a metropolitan area is warmer than the surrounding rural areas.  UHI Effect is caused primarily by modification of land surfaces in developments that use materials that retain heat. 

Solar System Power Point

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tpt6v1tojng8s1o/Solar%20System%20Formation2.pptx