Question 1: Define the term 'precipitation' as it relates to the Water Cycle.

Answer: Precipitation is the process by which water in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail falls from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface.

Question 2: Describe the process of evaporation in the context of the Water Cycle.

Answer: Evaporation is the process where water changes from liquid to vapour due to heat from the Sun, rising into the atmosphere.

Question 3: Which process in the Water Cycle is responsible for returning water from plants to the atmosphere?

Answer: Transpiration

Question 4: Fill in the blank: The process where water vapour cools and turns back into liquid droplets forms ________.

Answer: clouds

Question 5: Explain why infiltration is important for the replenishment of groundwater supplies.

Answer: Infiltration allows water to seep into the soil and replenish underground aquifers, which are vital sources of freshwater for ecosystems, agriculture, and human consumption.

Question 6: Calculate the total volume of water (in cubic metres) that evaporates from a 10 km² area in one day if the average evaporation rate is 5 mm per day.

Answer: 50,000 cubic metres

Question 7: Identify two factors that can increase the rate of evaporation in a natural environment.

Answer: Higher temperature and lower humidity levels.

Question 8: Describe a simple experiment to investigate the effect of temperature on evaporation rate.

Answer: Place two identical open containers of water in different environments—one warm and one cool. Measure the water level decrease over a set period to compare evaporation rates, ensuring safety precautions like avoiding direct sunlight for prolonged periods if necessary.

Question 9: In a scenario where a lake receives 200 mm of rainfall in a month and loses 150 mm due to evaporation, what is the net water gain or loss?

Answer: Net gain of 50 mm

Question 10: Discuss two ways in which human activity can disrupt the Water Cycle.

Answer: Humans can disrupt the Water Cycle through deforestation, which reduces transpiration and cloud formation, and urbanisation, which increases runoff and reduces infiltration, leading to less groundwater recharge.

Question 11: Apply your knowledge of the Water Cycle to explain how climate change might affect water availability in a region.

Answer: Climate change can alter the Water Cycle by increasing temperatures, leading to higher evaporation rates, changing rainfall patterns, potentially causing droughts or floods, and ultimately affecting the availability of freshwater resources in affected regions.