Study Guide
Quick meanings for every word. Pair Tier 3 words with pictures to support newcomers.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pollution | Pollution means dirty air, water, or land. Pollution can hurt people, animals, and plants. |
| Precipitation | Precipitation is water that falls from clouds. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail. |
| Temperature | Temperature tells how hot or cold something is. |
| Water | Water is a liquid. People, plants, and animals need water. |
| Acid / Acidic | Acid means strong water that can cause damage. Acidic water has a low pH. |
| Alkaline | Alkaline means not acidic. Alkaline water has a high pH. |
| Aquifer | An aquifer is water underground. People get drinking water from aquifers. |
| Atmosphere | The atmosphere is the air around Earth. |
| Base / Basic | Basic means not acidic. Basic water has a high pH. |
| Condensation | Warm water gas cools. It changes into liquid water. Clouds form. |
| Evaporation | Water gets warm. Water changes from liquid to gas. Water goes into the air. |
| Ground | The ground is the land we walk on. |
| Hydrologic Cycle | The hydrologic cycle is how water moves. Water goes up, down, and around Earth again and again. |
| Hydropower | Hydropower uses moving water to make electricity. |
| Hydrosphere | The hydrosphere is all the water on Earth. Oceans, rivers, lakes, ice, and groundwater. |
| Infiltration | Infiltration is when water goes into the ground. |
| Neutral | Neutral means not acidic and not basic. Neutral water has a pH of 7. |
| Permeability | Permeability means how easily water moves through something. |
| Permeable | Permeable means water can pass through. |
| pH Level | pH level shows how acidic or basic water is. |
| Porosity | Porosity means how many spaces are in soil or rock. More spaces = more water can fit. |
| Puddling | Puddling is water staying on the ground. Water does not soak in. |
| Runoff | Runoff is water moving over land. Water flows to rivers and lakes. |
| Salinity | Salinity is how much salt is in water. |
| Surface | The surface is the top layer. Water can stay on the surface. |
| Sublimation | Ice changes directly into gas. It does not become liquid first. |
| Watershed | A watershed is land where water drains. All water goes to the same river or lake. |
| Water Quality | Water quality tells how clean water is. Clean water is safe to use. |