Role of Sunlight and Gravity in the Water Cycle Science Games

4 games

In this series of games, your students will learn about the way the sun’s energy and the earth’s gravity combine to cause the motion of water through the water cycle. The Role of Sunlight and Gravity in the Water Cycle learning objective — based on NGSS and state standards — delivers improved student engagement and academic performance in your classroom, as demonstrated by research.

Scroll down for a preview of this learning objective’s games and the concepts they drive home.

Concepts Covered

On Earth, water can exist as a liquid, a solid (ice), or a gas (water vapor). It changes between these states of matter when it gains or loses energy. In the water cycle, this energy comes from sunlight.

When water absorbs sunlight or makes contact with something warmer than itself, it heats up. This causes it to turn from solid to liquid (melting) or liquid to gas (vaporization). When it makes contact with something cooler, it changes the opposite way: gas to liquid (condensation) or liquid to solid (freezing). Water is most dense as a liquid, then as a solid, and least dense as a gas.

While sunlight is the energy source, the greatest force propelling the water cycle is gravity. Gravity is the force of attraction between two objects, and Earth’s gravity pulls matter downward, toward its center. It pulls precipitation down from clouds and pulls water downhill.

Gravity also moves air and ocean water. Cool, dry air is denser than warm, humid air, and cool, salty water is denser than warm, less salty water. Gravity pulls denser air and water downward, forcing less dense air and water to move upward. The warm water near the surface of the ocean heats up with sunlight and evaporates, keeping the water cycle in motion.

A preview of each game in the learning objective is found below.

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Image for Heredity and Gene Mutations
Heredity and Gene Mutations Estimated Duration: 4 minutes Explore the world of genes through the fascinating information of gene mutations!
Image for Eureka! - Artificial Evolution
Eureka! - Artificial Evolution Estimated Duration: 12 minutes Get ready to dive deep into the heart of genetics and unlock the secrets of the DNA! You will explore the mysteries of life's building blocks like never before.
Image for Basketball Master
Basketball Master Estimated Duration: 12 minutes Shoot a basketball through the hoop and answer some questions along the way! The game does not have any instructional content, it simply has review questions spread throughout.
Image for Newton Pool
Newton Pool Estimated Duration: 15 minutes The game consists of hand-crafted levels where the player controls a white ball. The goal of each level is to get the white ball to the end of the level in as few moves as possible, while racking up points by bumping golden balls into obstacles on the way! The game does not have any instructional math content, it simply has math review questions spread throughout.
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