Unit 2: Hydrosphere
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1. Where is most of the freshwater found?
The most freshwater is found in glaciers. About 70% of Earth's accessible freshwater source comes from glaciers and icecaps, and 30% comes from groundwater.
The most freshwater is found in glaciers. About 70% of Earth's accessible freshwater source comes from glaciers and icecaps, and 30% comes from groundwater.
The Water Cycle
2. Is it permeable or impermeable?
Permeability is how easily and quickly water can travel through a material. It is essential to know the difference!
- Permeable - - Impermeable -
Is permeability necessary in the hydrosphere?
It sure is! permeability is the factor that allows water to travel through the rocks and create groundwater. When freshwater is present underground and forms an underground lake, we call that an aquifer. Aquifers supply a portion of our freshwater, so it is essential to have aquifers that are created from permeable rock.
3. Diagram of an Aquifer
4. Point Source & Non-point Source Venn Diagram
Examples:
Point Source- Factories, leaking sewage pipes, plants, oil rig
Non-point Source- Fertilizer, erosion, trash
Point Source- Factories, leaking sewage pipes, plants, oil rig
Non-point Source- Fertilizer, erosion, trash
5. How is wastewater cleaned?
Step 1) The water goes through a screen to filter out trash.
Step 2) Then, the water goes through a tank where the sediment settles to the bottom of the tank and is flushed out.
Step 3) Afterwards, the water separates to scum, sludge, and clean water. The scum is cleaned out of the top and sludge is pumped out of the bottom so that clean water is left behind.
Step 4) Water goes through aeration basin where bacteria breaks down pollutants.
Step 5) It moves to a secondary clarifier, where bugs are cleaned out of the water.
Step 6) Water flows through UV channels that disinfect it.
Step 2) Then, the water goes through a tank where the sediment settles to the bottom of the tank and is flushed out.
Step 3) Afterwards, the water separates to scum, sludge, and clean water. The scum is cleaned out of the top and sludge is pumped out of the bottom so that clean water is left behind.
Step 4) Water goes through aeration basin where bacteria breaks down pollutants.
Step 5) It moves to a secondary clarifier, where bugs are cleaned out of the water.
Step 6) Water flows through UV channels that disinfect it.
6. Eutrophication
- Eutrophication is caused when overly high levels of nutrients are present in a body of water.
During the process...
1. Algal blooms are formed
2. This causes reduced oxygen and sunlight
3. The reduction of oxygen and sunlight causes plants to die
4. Dissolved oxygen declines
5. Bacteria levels rise
- Because of all the events that take place, fish and other organisms begin to die.
During the process...
1. Algal blooms are formed
2. This causes reduced oxygen and sunlight
3. The reduction of oxygen and sunlight causes plants to die
4. Dissolved oxygen declines
5. Bacteria levels rise
- Because of all the events that take place, fish and other organisms begin to die.
EPA
7. The agency that is in charge of protecting our water, establishing water treatment standards and ensuring the quality of our drinking water is the Environmental Protection Agency.
An amendment written by this agency in the 1970's is called the Clean Water Act.
8. Water Quality Indicators
__C__ 1. Temperature __F__ 2. Turbidity __G__ 3. Bio-indicators __B__ 4. pH __E__ 5. Nitrates __A__ 6. Dissolved Oxygen __H__ 7. Coliform __D__ 8. Hardness |
a. The amount of oxygen in the water b. Tells you how acidic the water is c. If the water is too hot or too cold, it will harm or kill the living things inside the water d. High levels of calcium and magnesium in the water e. Indicates the amount of nutrients (usually from fertilizer runoff) in the water f. The measure of how cloudy the water is due to suspended materials (usually dirt or slit) g. These are specific animals that live in the water that can indicate if the water is healthy or not. h. Indicates the presence of bacteria from fecal matter (poop) |
9. Turbidity, Temperature, and Dissolved Oxygen
It may not obvious, but all three of these indicators are related. Turbidity is caused by particles either being suspended or dissolved in water. These particles absorb heat from sunlight, which raises the water temperature. As a result of raised temperatures, levels of dissolved oxygen are lowered, since solubility of oxygen decreases as temperatures increase. Therefore, these factors end up affecting each other after all .