The Structure of Hydrosphere

8th Grade Curriculum – Developed for NCDPI - 2008

The Structure of Hydrosphere

Oceans—96.5% of water found here

Fresh water—3.5% of water found here

Fresh water distribution: Ice: 1.762% Groundwater: 1.7% Surface Fresh

Water: 0.014% Atmosphere and

soil: 0.002%

Understanding Where Your Water Is Located—Oceans and Ice

What bodies of water hold the largest amount of water? Oceans—the largest bodies of water on Earth

(contain salt water only)

What features house water as ice? Icebergs: a large piece of freshwater ice floating in

open waters Glaciers: any large mass of ice that moves slowly

over land

Location of Ice containing fresh water

Water Cycle

Water CycleThe amount of water on the planet follows

the law of conservation of massWater is never created nor destroyed, it only

changes forms.

Draw a picture of the water cycle, be sure to add the following with examples

CondensationEvaporationPrecipitationTranspiration

CondensationWater forming tiny droplets of water,

sometimes so light they form clouds

EvaporationWater turning into a gas state

PrecipitationWater returning falling from the sky as

snow, sleet, hail, freezing rain

TranspirationGoing directly from a plant or tree to the sky

as a gas

Bell Ringer -

1. What is Transpiration?

2. Where does your water come from?

3. What happens to water that falls from the clouds when it reaches the ground?

Divides and Drainage Basins

Divides and Drainage Basins- Affect the water flow on landWater flows from high points to low

• an area into which all of the water on one side of a divide flows.

• Flatter regions may not be obvious

Drainage Basin-

Divides and Drainage Basins

• Water naturally collects in lakes and ponds.

• Some lakes were formed in the last ice age.

The Great Lakes were formed by huge sheets of ice scraping out large depressions.

Divides- •A ridge or continuous line of high land, from which water flows in a different direction.

• Mountain ridge• Any point that the land rises and

falls

-The can cover a huge area- Mississippi basin extends from Rocky

Mountains to Appalachia.

Drainage Basin-

Lake Turnover-

Lakes are not as still as they seem.•Varying temperatures of the seasons cause a cycle twice a year

Where do fish hang out at different times of the year or how a lake freezes.

• Nutrients- • Used by life forms in lakes• From minerals and dead plants and

Organisms are stirred upward by this turnover.

Lake Turnover-

Eutrophication- An increase of nutrients in a lake or pond

Death of a lake -• Over thousands of years and through natural

processes lakes fill in and become meadows.• Nutrients and chemicals build up : phosphorus

and nitrogen• Oxygen decreases and kills of living organisms• Sediment builds

• Sediments include: remains of dead fish and plants

Eutrophication-

Eutrophication- Human activity

• Speeds up the process of Eutrophication

• Pollution-• Nitrogen from fertilizers wash

into lakes• Phosphates from laundry

detergents

Types of wetlands

Swamps, bogs, and marshesSwamp: a wetland dominated by treesBogs: a wetland dominated by peat

mossMarshes: a wetland dominated by

grasses

North Carolina Swamps: Notice swamps are characterized by trees and water.

North Carolina Marsh: Notice how a marsh is made up of water and grass

North Carolina Bogs: Notice how bogs are water and peat moss (type of soil)

Other Surface Waters

What is a wetland?An area where water is near or above

the land surface, long enough during the year to support adapted plant growth

Aquifers

Where is most of the water located after the polar ice caps and glaciers?

In the groundGround water is located in places called

aquifers

What is density?Which is more dense, salt or freshwater?What if you float an ice cube in each,

what would the difference between the ice cubes in the water be and why?

Answer these questions

1. How much water (gallons) on average do you think American households use each day? 2. Why is it important to keep those smaller streams clean?

3.What are two ways that you could decrease your use of water?

** Write 6 facts about our water treatment system.**

Aquifers

Underground water that is trapped by impermeable rock

Impermeable-water cannot flow through it

Granite or bedrockPermeable-water can flow through itSandstone or sand

Artesian Wells

Artesian wells-water that can come up through a well dug into an aquifer with pressureThink of shaking a can of soda and jamming

a straw into it, what happens?What happens when the pressure is gone?

Importance of Aquifers

What do you think are the two most important reasons for aquifers

1. stores water for use2. can assist the filtration of some

pollutants out of the water

Fresh Water Locations—Surface Water

What is the difference between a watershed and a river basin?

Both terms describe land that drains into a river, stream or lake

River Basin: the term used to describe interconnected rivers that lead to one large river.

Watershed: the term used to describe the land that drains into a any river or stream

Watersheds and River Basins

What is the largest river basin in NC? (connecting rivers and streams to a large river)

The Cape Fear River basin has 9,322 square miles

Many watersheds make up 1 river basin.The land around the Cape Fear River is

a watershed

Cape Fear River Basin: many watersheds make up the river basin

Let’s Make a River Basin

Questions1. Why is it important to keep those

smaller streams clean?2. Where do we get most of our drinking

water in Cumberland County?

Cape Fear Watershed: The land around the river is the watershed.

Questions!

3. What pollutants might leave these structures and drain from the watershed area into the Cape Fear River?

4. Why is it important to keep watersheds clean? (watersheds=land around a river)

Additional factors that could pollute watersheds and river basins.

Runoff from farms is the biggest pollutant that runs into rivers.

What is actually running off?Fertilizer and manureCars is perhaps the 2nd biggest-oil,

gas, transmission fluid, and brake fluid

Water Rights-draw a river and make two cities at different spots.

Durham

Fayetteville

Who has the rights?

Who has the rights?

This is a concern for humans.Who has the right to the water in the

river in your drawing? Provide 2 reasons for your response

This is a major concern in North Carolina.

Commercial Vs. Personal Uses

What is the difference between personal use of water and commercial use of water?

Commercial-uses for businessPersonal-use at homeWho has priority of water? Provide two

examples for your answer

Commercial Farming

Commercial Farming

Personal Use

Water Usage

Make a list (at least 5 items) since your arrival to science class about all things you have encountered since you woke up this morning that have water in them.

Examples: shower or bath this morning, brushing your teeth, breakfast this morning (milk’s main ingredient is water), drinks from the drinking fountain this morning, flushing the toilet ect.

Water Usage

How much water (gallons) on average do you think American households use each day?

135 gallons per house or apt. Let’s find some examples of our class

shall we.http://www.csgnetwork.com/

waterusagecalc.html

Water Usage

What are two ways that you could decrease your use of water?

Example: do not leave water running while brushing teeth

http://www.dwa.org/ Ways to save water

Who is in charge of keeping our rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans clean?

EPA-Environmental Protection AgencyWhat are two things you can do to help

keep oceans clean?What are some ways that we could

monitor how healthy our water is?

Answer the following questions: Turn in before you leave

Page 57 1- 6, write the question and answers.

To learn how water is recycled and how the EPA works.

Test Review

Find your foldable on Plate Boundaries.Have your homework together. Find your vocabulary terms from the

Boundaries Quiz and Hydrosphere 1