LAND AND WATER
STUDY GUIDE
WATER CYCLE
- Know the definitions of:
o Condensation- occurs when water vapor cools in the atmosphere and changes from gas
to liquid.
o Precipitation- after the water vapor cools and becomes heavy the water droplets fall to
the earth as rain, sleet, snow, or hail.
o Evaporation- the process by which a liquid is heated up and changes into a gas.
o Run off- is when precipitation hits the ground and the water runs down the land while
taking various soil components with it in its flow. It can create erosion and deposition.
- Know where each of the above terms falls in the water cycle.
PARTS OF A STREAM
- Study the attached parts of a stream
DEFINITIONS
- Study the attached page of definitions
KEY CONCEPTS
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Water has an important role in shaping the land and earth.
Both the flow of water and the slope of the land affect erosion. The greater the flow of water,
the more erosion takes place.
Landforms, such as canyons and deltas, result from the action of flowing water.
Humans affect erosion in ways, including clearing the land, planting vegetation (such as
grass) and building dams.
Hills, rocks, plants, and dams may change the direction and flow of water.
QUESTIONS TO STUDY
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What is an aerial view?
o Answer: an aerial view, also called a bird’s eye view, allows someone to see the entire stream
table as opposed to just a small part of it.
How does the slope of the land affect the amount of land that is eroded or deposited by
water?
o Answer: The slope of the land affects how much soil is deposited or eroded, because the
steeper the slope is the quicker the water will be causing more soil to be washed away
or deposited.
(Study the front and back of this study guide/review)
Vocabulary Words
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Head- the beginning of a stream or river where runoff begins to cut a stream channel.
Tributaries- a stream that flows into a larger stream or river.
Stream Channel- the main course along which water travels.
Delta- a flat plain created by the sediment dropped at the river’s mouth. A delta can be bow
shaped, triangular shaped, or it can also be a bird’s foot.
Dam- a barrier that controls the direction and flow of water. A dam can be built to control the
flow of water, to prevent flooding, for electricity, or for recreation.
Erosion- the wearing away and moving of particles of soil and rock.
Deposition/Sedimentation- the process by which soil and rock have been moved by water and
dropped in a different place where it builds up.
Evaporation- when water is heated up and it turns from a liquid into a gas and it floats into the
air.
Condensation- occurs when water vapor cools up above in the earth’s atmosphere. As it cools
the water droplets join together to form clouds as the gases turn back into liquid.
Precipitation- this is when the water vapor cools, becomes very heavy, and then falls to the
ground as rain, sleet, snow, or hail.