Method 1. Place the bowl in direct sunlight. 2. Pour water into the bowl until it is one quarter full.
3. Place the small plastic container on the water in the centre of the bowl. Be careful not to splash any water into it.
4. Cover the top of the bowl tightly with the plastic wrap.
Container
5. Tie the string or rubber band around the bowl to hold the plastic wrap in place.
6. Place a small weight on top of the plastic wrap. 7. Examine the bowl after 1-2 days and record any changes.
Questions 1. What part of the water cycle does the water in the bowl represent? 2. What appears on the inside of the plastic wrap after some time? What does this represent in the water cycle?
3. At the end of the experiment would you expect to find any water in the small plastic container? How do you think the water got there?
4. Based on this experiment describe the main stages of the water cycle.
Stages of the water cycle 1. Evaporation
Water Bowl Plastic wrap Weight
Rubber band
2. Condensation
3. Precipitation
4. Collection
3
2
1
4 Fig. 1 Water is constantly cycled through the living and non-living parts of Earth. 417
