We prepared for our next lesson.
"Today, we'll be teaching you about the Rain Cycle" Aileen I said.
"Okay" we said eagerly.
"On clear days, when the Sky is unclouded, the Sun's Rays typically shine strongly over both the Earth and any Water Bodies on the surface of the Earth. The heat the Sun's Rays exert over any exposed body of Water causes portions of these Water Bodies to evaporate. The vapourized quantities of Water rise towards the Skies since heated molecules of air are typically lighter than cooled molecules of air. Over time, the Vapour gathers in the Skies and accumulates to form Clouds. As the process repeats itself, these Clouds increase in mass and become heavier. As they spread out, mostly as a result of the activities of the Wind, they envelop the Skies eclipsing the Sun's Rays and thus triggering a cooling of the Earth. As the temperature of the Earth continues to drop, the Vapour or Clouds gradually become heavier and when they hit the threshold for Condensation, that is, the threshold that allows Vapour to assume its liquid form, the Clouds fall back to the Earth in the form of Rain" Aunt Ai explained.
"You've heard of the Ozone Layer haven't you?" Aileen I asked.
"Yeah, it's a layer of Oxygen Gas in the atmosphere that acts as a sort of filter for the Rays Of Sunlight that enter the Earth by filtering off harmful ultraviolet rays" Keiran explained.
"Well, Water is composed of both Hydrogen Gas and Oxygen Gas. During the Rain Cycle, some of these gases may be restored to the Earth's atmosphere. The restored Oxygen may act to thicken the Earth's Ozone Layer" Aileen I explained.
"Having said that, there is another factor that can determine the frequency of Rainfall as well as the thickness of the Ozone Layer" Aunt Ai said.
"What factor is that?" Ciella asked.
"Plants" Aunt Ai said simply.
"Plants as in Trees?" Ciella asked.
"Exactly, leaving exposed Water Bodies aside, some Trees have roots that dig deep into the Earth. These roots may grant the Plant access to underground Water Sources. Plants take in Water, Mineral Salts, Sunlight and Air for use in Photosynthesis. During this process, they release Oxygen as a bi-product. The Oxygen they release rises into the atmosphere and may react with the Hydrogen present in the atmosphere to generate Clouds which may eventually rain back to the Earth as Water. Plants, especially the shady variety also act to conserve Water Bodies such as Rivers, Streams, Lakes and Lagoons. Their wide branches and leaves in a sense act like the Ozone Layer shielding these Water Bodies from direct contact with the Sun's Rays which may evaporate and dry these Water Bodies up. It's in a sense similar to how the Ozone Layer shields the Earth from harmful ultraviolet Rays Of Sunlight. It's because of this ability of Plants to release Oxygen during respiration that may react with atmospheric Hydrogen to generate Rainfall that there is typically more Rainfall in Forest Regions than there is in Desert Regions leaving aside the number of Water Bodies in each Region. You could say both Plants and Water Bodies act to regulate the Temperature of the Earth as well as the thickness of the Ozone Layer that protects the Earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the Sun" Aunt Ai explained.
"So Plants act to conserve Water Sources. At the same time, both Plants and Water Sources regulate the Rain Cycle as well as the Earth's Temperature" I realized.
"Plus the Oxygen released by Plants and the Vapour released by Water Sources can generate the Oxygen required to thicken the Ozone Layer and thus protect the Earth from the Sun's ultraviolet rays" Concordia realized.
"Exactly. It seems you do understand" Aunt Ai said with a smile.
"When you put it like that, it almost makes it sound like Global Warming is in a sense a symptom of the Earth undergoing Suffocation" Ciella said with a sad look in her eyes.
"That's true" I realized. "The symptoms of Global Warming could in a sense be likened to that of Suffocation or a Fever of sorts".
"When you put it like that, Plants and Water Bodies can in a sense be said to be the Earth's Immune System" Concordia realized what we were getting at.