The water cycle, powered by the Sun and pulled by gravity
Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.
A puddle on the playground shrinks on a sunny afternoon as its water turns into invisible vapor. Which process is this, in Ari's notes?
- Precipitation
- Condensation
- The water being destroyed
- Evaporation
High in the sky, water vapor cools and forms the tiny drops of a cloud. Which process does Bo name?
Side view: invisible vapor arrows rising from the ground and a cloud forming where the air is cooler. Side view: invisible vapor arrows rising from the ground and a cloud forming where the air is cooler. ground invisible vapor cloud cooler air - Runoff
- Evaporation
- Condensation
- Transpiration
Which energy source lifts ocean water into the air as invisible vapor, according to Jun's science book?
Drawing of the ocean under the Sun, with wavy vapor arrows rising from the water. Drawing of the ocean under the Sun, with wavy vapor arrows rising from the water. Sun ocean vapor - Heat from Earth's core
- Gravity
- Wind alone
- The Sun's energy
Drawing of a cloud dropping rain on one side and snow on the other, with downward arrows. What pulls rain and snow down from the clouds to the ground, by Luz's notes?
- Evaporation pushing it
- The wind
- The Sun's energy
- Gravity
After a rainstorm, water flows downhill across a parking lot into a stream. What makes it flow downhill, says Milo?
Side view: a sloping parking lot with water arrows running down into a stream. Side view: a sloping parking lot with water arrows running down into a stream. Side view parking lot stream - The Sun's energy
- Gravity
- Evaporation pushing it along
- The water's own heat
Noah points at a fluffy white cloud on a field trip. What is the cloud made of?
Drawing of a white cloud with a magnified circle showing many tiny drops. Drawing of a white cloud with a magnified circle showing many tiny drops. - Steam from the Sun
- Invisible water vapor
- Smoke from far away
- Tiny drops of liquid water or ice
Above Pia's mug of hot cocoa, a little white mist rises and fades. What is the white mist?
Drawing of a mug with a curl of white mist above it; the space just above the cocoa looks clear. Drawing of a mug with a curl of white mist above it; the space just above the cocoa looks clear. white mist cocoa - Smoke from the hot cocoa
- Air that turned white from heat
- Tiny water drops formed as vapor cooled
- Invisible water vapor
Which part of the water cycle can Ren NOT see, even on a bright, sunny day?
Drawing of a sunny lake with clouds above and fog over one corner of the water. Drawing of a sunny lake with clouds above and fog over one corner of the water. - Clouds
- Fog
- Nothing; evaporated water is gone
- Water vapor in the air
On Tala's water-cycle diagram, an arrow runs from the ground surface down to the groundwater. Which process goes on that arrow?
Water-cycle diagram: ocean, cloud, mountain, river, ground and groundwater; the arrow from the ground surface down to the groundwater is labeled "?". Water-cycle diagram: ocean, cloud, mountain, river, ground and groundwater; the arrow from the ground surface down to the groundwater is labeled "?". cloud ocean river mountain ground groundwater ? - Evaporation
- Infiltration
- Runoff
- Condensation
An arrow on Zee's diagram goes from a tree's leaves up into the air. Which process is it?
Water-cycle diagram with a tree; the arrow from its leaves up into the air is labeled "?". Water-cycle diagram with a tree; the arrow from its leaves up into the air is labeled "?". ? - Infiltration
- Transpiration
- Precipitation
- Condensation