Science - Chapter 11 - Water (Water Resources)

Porosity

Although most rocks appear solid, many kinds of rocks contain small holes, or pore spaces. Porosity is the percentage of the total volume of a rocks that has spaces.

Aquifer

An underground formation that contains groundwater.

Water Table

As water travels beneath the Earth's surface, it eventually reaches a level where the rocks and soil are saturated with water. This level is known as the 'water table'.

What two kinds of water are found on earth?

Fresh water & Salt water

How long can humans live without water?

Only a few days.

The water cycle is a continuous movement of water between the earth and its atmosphere which includes:

Precipitation, Evaporation, and Condensation

River System

Streams and rivers that move across the land, they form a flowing network of water.

Permeability

The ability of a rock or soil to allow water to flow through it is call permeability. Materials such as gravel that allow the flow of water are permeable. Materials such as clay or granite that do not allow the flow of water are impermeable.

Watershed

The area of land that is drained by a river. Pollution anywhere in the watershed may end up polluting a river.

The Water Planet

The earth is often called 'the water planet' because it has an abundance of water in all forms.

Water is renewable because it is circulated in what?

The water cycle.

Recharge Zone

To reach an aquifer, surface water must travel down through permeable layers of soil and rock. An area of the Earth's surface from which water percolates down into an aquifer is called a recharge zone.

Groundwater

Water beneath the Earth' surface in sediment and rock formations is called groundwater.

Name the six major watershed rivers in North America

Yukon River, Mackenzie River, Columbia River, Colorado River, Rio Grande River, Mississippi River.

Surface Water

is fresh water found on Earth's surface. surface water is found in lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands.

Name the the three forms of water.

water as a solid, water as a liquid, water as a gas.