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Streams flow into rivers. Drops of water in
rivers slow down when the river is dammed.
But they don’t stop. When water drops pass
over the dam, they flow to the ocean. When
water gets to the ocean, it finally stops
moving. Or does it? There may be more to
the story of a water drop.
Look again at the pictures. Follow the
water drops from the mountain peak to the
ocean. Which way does water go? Water
always flows in the same direction. Water
always moves down.
Water is
matter
. Like all matter, water is
pulled downward by
gravity
. That’s why
brooks flow from mountain peaks to forest
meadows. That’s why meadow streams flow
into river valleys. That’s why rivers flow
down to the ocean.
The next time it rains, watch the water
flowing across the ground. Which way is
it going?
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