Water

Water Distribution

Water covers about 71% of the Earth’s surface.• Less than 3% is fresh water

(water that contains a low concentration of dissolved salts)

• Oceans contain most of the world’s salt water

• Salinity is the average concentration of salt

• Estuaries are where rivers flow into an ocean – it is a mixture of fresh and salt water

• Brackish water is less salty than the water in the ocean as it is a mix of fresh and salt water

Solid Liquid Gas

Snow Rivers Fog

Glaciers Lakes Clouds

Polar icecaps

Oceans Water Vapour

States of Water

Water is the only substance on Earth that exists naturally in all three physical

states

The Water Cycle

Water Cycle – constant movement of water through different state and location

Evaporation – liquid water to water vapour

Condensation – cooled water vapour becomes liquid

Precipitation – water falling to Earth (snow, hail, rain, or sleet)

Sublimation – snow and ice at surface of glacier change directly into water vapour

Ground water – water that has soaked into the soil.

The Water Table

Percolation – process of water sinking into the ground through the spaces between soil particles

Saturated Zone – layer of clay, silt or rock that collects water as it seeps down

Water table – upper level of the saturated zone

Capillary action – draws more water up from below ground due to force of cohesion between water molecules

Aquifers – large accumulations of underground water in permeable rock, soil, or sand

The Power of Water

Sediment – gravel, sand, silt and mud

Weathering – breakdown of rock into sediment

Erosion – wearing away of Earth’s surface caused by gravity, running water, waves, moving ice, and wind

Deposition – when sediment settles

Delta – a flat area of land formed by sediment at the mouth of a river

Dredging – removing bottom sediment in a river, lake or water way

Contour ploughing

Dredging

Damaging Waters

Flood plain – relatively flat area on either side of a river that floods when the water level rise higher than normal

Dikes – long walls of soil built along the banks of a river to prevent flooding

Water – What did you learn?1.) What percent of water is fresh water?a) 3%b) 71%c) 97%

2.) An area where rivers flow into oceans is called:d) Deltae) Estuaryf) Brackishg) Salinity

3. ) Liquid water to water vapour is calledh) Condensationi) Evaporationj) Sublimationk) Precipitation

4.) Snow and ice change directly into water vapour:l) Evaporation m) Precipitationn) Condensationo) Sublimation

5.) Large accumulation of water underground in permeable rockp) Percolationq) Saturated zoner) Capillary actions) Aquifer

6.) Process of water sinking into ground through spaces in soil.a) Capillary actionb) Aquifer c) Percolationd) Saturated zone

7.) Breakdown of rock into sedimente) Erosion f) Deposition g) Weathering h) Dredging

8. ) flat area formed by sediment at the mouth of a riveri) Estuary j) Delta k) Marsh

9.) Removing sediment from the bottom of the river:l) Dredgingm) Deposition n) Dikes o) Delta

10.) Flat area on either side of the river:p) Dikesq) Water table r) Saturated zones) Flood plane