Water Cycle

Explain the importance of the water cycle in sustaining living organisms and ecosystems on Earth.

Identify the states and locations of water on Earth, including solid water in glaciers, liquid water in oceans, rivers, lakes, and aquifers, and gaseous water vapor in the atmosphere.

Describe the physical processes that drive the water cycle, including melting, freezing, evaporation, and condensation.

Recognize the forms of atmospheric precipitation, such as rain, sleet, or snow.

Explain the role of water as a crucial solvent for chemical reactions within biological cells.

Understand how water facilitates the transport of dissolved compounds into and out of cells.

Identify water as both a reactant and a product in essential biochemical changes, including respiration, photosynthesis, and digestion.

Recognize the importance of rivers, lakes, and seas in providing diverse habitats for living organisms.

Draw and interpret scientific diagrams representing the main storage reservoirs of water and the directional flows between them within the cycle.