Module A Chapter 2 Changes in the Desert
Lesson 2.2 Rain in the Desert
·
Desert
Rainstorm;
o Most rainstorms come during the Spring in the Sonoran Desert.
o Storms usually last no longer than an hour and brings between 5 and 8 centimeters of rain.
o Sand only soaks up part of the rainwater. Rest of the water runs off digging deep ditches as it rushes downhill.
o Animals hiding underground for the heat and dryness come alive.
Sonoran Green Toad (Bufo retiformis)
Seeds hidden in sand begin to sprout and grow. Rain brings many new plants to life. Some plants survive in the desert by growing only after heavy rains.
Desert Lupine: Only blooms in years where there is enough rainfall for it to complete its short life cycle.
Evaporate means
to change from a liquid to a gas.
Water
that becomes a gas is called Water
Vapor.
Condense means to change from a gas to a liquid.
Water Cycle - http://www.brainpop.com/science/ecology/watercycle/index.weml
For about 4 to 6 weeks after a rainstorm the desert will be blanketed with flowers of all colors.
Checkpoint;
1. How is the spadefoot toad able to survive in the desert?
2. How does having a short life cycle help some desert plants survive?
3. How does water evaporate?
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