Evaporation

Have you ever seen a big puddle after the rain? Splash, splash, splash. But then, the sun comes out, and poof. The puddle is gone. Where did it go? I helped it disappear. I love to play hide-and-seek with water. I help dry your wet socks on the line, making them warm and cozy to wear again. When you take a warm bath, do you see the floaty mist? That's me, too. I make the water dance into the air. Have you ever wondered where the water goes? That’s me, playing a little game of hide-and-seek.

Do you want to know my secret? My best friend, the big, bright Sun, helps me. The Sun sends a warm hug down to the water. This warm hug gives the tiny, tiny water drops the wiggles. They wiggle and jiggle and get so, so light. They get so light they start to float. They float up, up, up into the big blue sky. You can't see them anymore because they turn into a special invisible air called a gas. It’s like magic. Are you ready to learn my name? I am Evaporation. It’s a big word, but it just means I help water fly.

I have a very important job. When I lift all those tiny water drops into the sky, they hold hands together. They huddle close and make big, fluffy clouds. Look up. You can see them floating by. Those clouds get full and heavy, and then they give the Earth a nice, cool drink. Plink, plonk, plink. That's the rain. The rain helps the pretty flowers grow tall and the green grass grow bright. It fills the rivers so the fish can swim and gives everyone water to drink. I am a super helper, always working to keep our world fresh and green.