The Water Cycle Quiz
Grade 7 · Science · Quiz
10 questions on the processes that move water through Earth's atmosphere, land, and oceans.
Questions
What energy source drives evaporation in the water cycle?
- Wind
- Gravity
- Solar energy
- Geothermal heat
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Answer: Solar energy
The Sun provides the thermal energy that heats surface water molecules enough to escape into the atmosphere as vapor. Without solar energy, the water cycle would stop.
Snow and sleet are forms of precipitation.
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Answer: True
Precipitation includes all forms of water falling from clouds: rain (liquid), snow (solid crystals), sleet (frozen rain), and hail (ice balls).
When water soaks into the ground it is called ___.
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Answer: infiltration
Infiltration replenishes groundwater and soil moisture. The rate depends on soil type — sand infiltrates quickly; clay-rich soils infiltrate slowly.
What is the term for the combined evaporation from land and transpiration from plants?
- Precipitation
- Runoff
- Evapotranspiration
- Condensation
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Answer: Evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration combines evaporation from water surfaces/soil with transpiration from plants. It returns enormous amounts of fresh water to the atmosphere.
Groundwater is water that flows on the surface of the land.
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Answer: False
Groundwater is water beneath the soil surface stored in pores and cracks in rock (aquifers). Surface water flows above ground in rivers, lakes, and streams.
Which part of the water cycle describes water flowing off the land into streams and rivers?
- Infiltration
- Condensation
- Transpiration
- Runoff
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Answer: Runoff
Runoff is the flow of water over land surfaces that doesn't infiltrate the soil. It collects in streams and rivers and eventually reaches the ocean.
Water vapor cooling and forming cloud droplets is called ___.
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Answer: condensation
Condensation happens when warm, moist air rises and cools. Water vapor condenses around tiny particles (dust, pollen, sea salt) forming the tiny droplets that make up clouds.
Deforestation can reduce transpiration and disrupt the local water cycle.
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Answer: True
Trees transpire massive amounts of water. When forests are cleared, transpiration decreases, reducing local rainfall and disrupting regional water cycles.
Where does the majority of evaporation in the water cycle occur?
- Rivers
- Soil
- Oceans
- Glaciers
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Answer: Oceans
Oceans cover about 71% of Earth's surface and hold 97% of its water, making them by far the largest source of evaporated water vapor entering the atmosphere.
About what percentage of Earth's water is fresh water?
- 97%
- 50%
- 25%
- 3%
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Answer: 3%
Only about 3% of Earth's water is fresh. Of that, about 69% is frozen in glaciers, 30% is groundwater, and less than 1% is in accessible surface water.
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