Lesson ⁦4-1⁩: Cycles in Ecosystems

Science · Fifth Grade, Primary · Unit 4: Cycles and Changes in Ecosystems · First Semester

A 10-question quiz; after every question you'll see the right answer with an explanation.
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What will you learn in this lesson?

Materials in nature don't run out; they cycle between living things and the environment. In this lesson you learn the water cycle and its stages, the carbon-oxygen cycle between plants and animals, and the nitrogen cycle.

  • Describes the stages of the water cycle: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff
  • Identifies the Sun as the source of the energy that drives the water cycle
  • Explains the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen between plants and animals
  • Explains the role of transpiration in adding water vapor to the air

💡 Tip: Draw the water cycle as a circle with four arrows and label each arrow with the process: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff. And don't forget the transpiration arrow from plants.

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Worked examples from the Cycles in Ecosystems lesson questions

What is it called when water changes from a liquid to vapor?
  • Evaporation
  • Condensation
  • Precipitation
  • Freezing
✓ Evaporation
During evaporation, liquid water turns into water vapor because of heat.
When water vapor in the air cools and turns into tiny droplets that form clouds, this process is called:
  • Condensation
  • Evaporation
  • Transpiration
  • Runoff
✓ Condensation
Condensation is when water vapor turns into a liquid as it cools.
Show more examples (3)
What source of energy drives the water cycle in nature?
  • The Sun
  • The wind
  • Earth's interior
  • The Moon
✓ The Sun
The Sun's heat evaporates water from oceans, seas, and soil, and the cycle begins.
Which of the following are forms of precipitation?
  • Rain, hail, and snow
  • Clouds and fog
  • Water vapor in the air
  • Groundwater
✓ Rain, hail, and snow
Precipitation is water falling from clouds to the ground as rain, hail, or snow.
Plants add water vapor to the air through transpiration.
✓ True
True; water vapor leaves through the stomata of leaves, and this is part of the water cycle.

FAQ about the Cycles in Ecosystems lesson

What is the difference between evaporation and condensation?

Evaporation is water changing from a liquid to a vapor because of the Sun's heat. Condensation is the opposite: water vapor in the air cools and turns into tiny droplets that form clouds.

How does the carbon cycle work?

Plants take carbon dioxide from the air to make their food and release oxygen. Then animals and plants breathe and return carbon dioxide to the air, and burning fuel does the same.

How do I study the lesson Cycles in Ecosystems and test myself on it?

Start the lesson quiz on Study with Ghada: 10 questions from the Science Fifth Grade, Primary question bank. After each answer you'll see the right answer with an explanation, and any questions you miss move to “Review my mistakes” until you master them.

Are Study with Ghada quizzes free and aligned with the curriculum?

Yes, completely free. They're built on the Science - Grade 5 - Semester 1 lessons in the same order as the book, and every question is reviewed and approved by a teacher before students see it.

Unit 4 lessons: Cycles and Changes in Ecosystems