Water Movement & Water Quality Study Guide | Key Concepts, Definitions & Exam Prep

Water Movement & Water Quality

Reservoir A natural or artificial lake used as a water source

Freezing The act of water turning from a liquid to a solid state (water to ice)

Melting The act of water turning from a solid to a liquid state (ice to water)

Condensation When water vapor cools down and changes back into liquid water

Evaporation When liquid water heats up and changes into water vapor

Precipitation When water falls from the sky as rain, snow, sleet, or hail

Transpiration When plants release water vapor from their leaves into the air

When ice/snow changes directly into water vapor without melting into l
Sublimation
water first

Vaporization The act of water turning from a liquid to a gas state

Infiltration When water soaks into the ground from the surface (Step #1)

When water moves slowly through layers of soil and rock underground
Percolation
#2)

When water flows over the surface of the land into bodies of water bec
Runoff
of its inability to soak into the ground (any water that has not infiltrated)

Elevation Height above a given level