1. The Hydrological cycle
LO:
1. To learn key words and definitions relating to
the hydrological cycle
2. To be able to explain if something is an
input, output, store or transfer.
3. To be able to complete a hydrological cycle
diagram

2. A SIMPLIFIED HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE
Input
PRECIPITATION
CONDENSATION
o
u
t
p
u
t
LAND
EVAPORATION
What happens when water reaches the ground?
SEA

3. Key Words
A. EVAPORATION 1. When water vapour changes to liquid (cooling)
B. CONDENSATION 2. Water in any form that falls to earth e.g. rain
C. PRECIPITATION 3. When the ground water moves through the land
D. RUN-OFF 4. When liquid changes to water vapour (warming)
E. PERCOLATION 5. The water that is stored within the ground
F. GROUND WATER 6. Water that is stored e.g. ground,clouds,air etc.
G. WATER STORES 7. Water that moves directly along the ground without
penetrating.
Match the letter with the corresponding number

4. Key Words
A. EVAPORATION 1. When water vapour changes to liquid (cooling) A = 4.
B. CONDENSATION 2. Water in any form that falls to earth e.g. rain B = 1.
C. PRECIPITATION 3. When the ground water moves through the land C = 2.
4. When liquid changes to water vapour (warming) D =7.
D. RUN-OFF
5. The water that is stored within the ground E = 3.
E. PERCOLATION
F = 5.
F. GROUND WATER 6. Water that is stored e.g. ground,clouds,air etc.
G = 6.
G. WATER STORES 7. Water that moves directly along the ground
without penetrating.
Match the letter with the corresponding number

5. Inputs
•Inputs are ways in which water can get into the system
•Precipitation is the general term used to describe all the
ways which moisture come out of the atmosphere.
PRECIPITATION
R
a
i
N FROST

6. OUTPUTS
•Outputs are ways in which water can leave a system.
•Evaporation – water on the surface can easily be evaporated
(turned to vapour) naturally by the suns heat energy – a breeze
will also help evaporation.
•Transpiration – evaporation from plant leaves of water which
has been taken up from the roots and transported to the leaves
•Evapotranspiration – general term for evaporation and
transpiration together
•River discharge – when the river reaches the sea/ lake and
ends.

7. Transfer/ flows
•Transfer/ flows are mechanisms which allow water to move
from one place to another.
•Surface runoff/ overland flow – water that flows over the
land; common in areas where the water cannot be absorbed
by the ground such as permeable surfaces e.g. concrete or
saturated areas.
•Throughfall – water dripping from one leaf to another
•Stemflow – water running down a plants stem/trunk
•Throughflow – water moving slowly downhill through the
soil. “pipes” such as cracks, or burrows in the soil will
increase the rate of throughflow.

8. Transfer/ flows
•Infiltration – Water soaking into the SOIL. Infiltration rate
depends on soil type, and how saturated the soil already is.
•Percolation – water seeping through the ROCKS, under the
soil surface. Rate of percolation depends on rock type.
•Groundwater flow – water flowing slowly below the water
table through permeable rocks.
•Baseflow – groundwater that feeds into rivers
•Interflow – water flowing downhill through the permeable
rock above the water table
•Channel flow/ river discharge - water flowing in the river/
stream.

9. Detailed hydrological Cycle

10. Completed hydrological Cycle

11. Keyword bingo
1. Mark out a 3 x 3 grid
2. Choose 9 words from the list below and write one word in each box
on grid.
3. Check the person next to you has done steps 1 and 2 and can’t
cheat!
4. Listen carefully to the definitions read out and score out the
keyword that corresponds to it if you have it on your grid.
5. When you get a line call out “BINGO!”
Precipitation Surface runoff Throughfall
Evaporation Stemflow Infiltration
Input Output Percolation
Transpiration River discharge Throughflow
Groundwater flow Evapotranspiration baseflow