Water

Water is one of the primary resources on earth. Without it there would be no life. It is the main substance in the **Water Cycle.** Water has a special ability like no other material, it can exist in 3 different forms, a liquid (plain water), a gas(steam), and a solid (snow). But they act differently. The vapor can rise in the air, and the liquid can be absorbed into the ground.

The Water Cycle is the process of water evaporating and being reused. First the water evaportates, becomes water vapor, rises and turns into a cloud. There, it keeps on collecting until the cloud gets too heavy and lets off by raining. The rain falls down, becomes runoff and enters an ocean, lake, or stream. Then it does the process all over again.

Water is referred to as the Universal solvent. This means it can dissolve a bigger variety of materials than any other liquid.During rainfall trees cover the soil so the rain gently falls on the ground and prevents it from washing away soil that is needed for the plants to grow. Now that we have built tar roads and run down dirt streets rainfall flows down these paths into rivers and lakes causing flooding, water damage, and other destruction. Underground reservoirs are important to keep its watershed and slows down the process of the water reaching the sea. Some of this water runs off into smaller bodies of water that eventually reach the sea. Salt and fresh water mix in the rivers and lakes creating brackish water. This is a common problem in the spring when there is much snow melting.People have had a major impact on the way the water flows through the environment. Rivers have been damed, and trees have been cut down to build buildings.