Science Unit 7 Lesson 2

Question 1

What is Earth’s fresh water supply like?

Answer 1

Earth’s fresh water supply is the same as it was millions of years ago. However, the demand for fresh water has increased with the increase in population. Many regions around the world face water scarcity

Question 2

What percentage of earth is covered in water?

Answer 2

71%

Question 3

Out of all the water that is on earth, how much of it is fresh water?

Answer 3

2.5%

Question 4

Out of all the fresh water on earth, how much of it is surface water

Answer 4

1.2%

Question 5

What is the definition is aquitard?

Answer 5

A layer of rock that allows a small mount of liquid to pass through

Question 6

What is the definition of artesian well?

Answer 6

A well under sufficient pressure such that water flows upward to the surface.

Question 7

What is the definition of water table?

Answer 7

The boundary between unsaturated ground and saturated ground

Question 8

What is the definition of permeability of rocks?

Answer 8

the ease with which rocks allow liquids to pass through

Question 9

What is the definition of aquifer?

Answer 9

an area of rock that absorbs and holds water that exists below the water table

Question 10

What percentage of fresh water is stored underground?

Answer 10

30%

Question 11

What affects the availability of ground water?

Answer 11

It depends on the surface and the climate

Question 12

What determines the amount of water an aquifer will hold?

Answer 12

The permeability of rocks

Question 13

How does the permeability of rock determine how much ground water there is?

Answer 13

As rainfall reaches the ground, permeable rocks allow the water to flow through them and form aquifers. Permeable rocks on the ground can lead to more ground water and less surface water. Impermeable rocks can lead to less ground water and more surface water.

Question 14

What do permeable rocks do?Permeable rocks on the groud can lead to what?

Answer 14

As rainfall reaches the ground, permeable rocks allow the water to flow through them and form aquifers. Permeable rocks on the ground can lead to more ground water and less surface water.

Question 15

What do impermeable rocks do?

Answer 15

Impermeable rocks can lead to less ground water and more surface water.

Question 16

Which climate regions are most likely to suffer from drought?

Answer 16

Arid regions with low precipitation levels

Question 17

What happens when a drought occurs?

Answer 17

When drought occurs, the flow of streams and rivers declines, and water levels in lakes, wells, and reservoirs fall.

Question 18

What is the definition of drought?

Answer 18

A period of drier-than-normal conditions resulting from a decrease in precipitation levels over weeks, months, or years

Question 19

Climates vary by region and are influenced by a number of factors including

Answer 19

latitude, elevation, proximity to water, vegetation, and prevailing winds.

Question 20

Where are polar climates found?

Answer 20

Polar climates are found near the North
and South Poles.

Question 21

What are the characteristics of polar climates?

Answer 21

These climates are characterized by frigid temperatures. Because the air is so cold, it can hold very little moisture, resulting in little snowfall.

Question 22

Why is Antartica considered a polar climate?

Answer 22

Antarctica is technically a desert, due to its very low level of precipitation.

Question 23

Where are temperate climates found?

Answer 23

Temperate climates are found around the halfway points between the poles and the equator.

Question 24

What is temperature like in temperate climates?

Answer 24

These zones have highly variable temperatures through their seasons, with precipitation falling year-round

Question 25

Where are tropical climates found?

Answer 25

Tropical climates are found near the equator and are characterized by warm temperatures year-round.

Question 26

How does the tropical rain belt influence the weather in the tropical climate regions?

Answer 26

These seasons are influenced by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere, then back north over the course of the year, due to the tilt of Earth’s axis. As the areas with the most direct sunlight heat up, there is more evaporation, which in turn causes more precipitation.

Question 27

Tropical climate regions often have two major seasons:

Answer 27

rainy season and dry season

Question 28

What is the climate like in the Mediterranean climates?

Answer 28

Mediterranean climates have rainy winter seasons and dry summer seasons.

Question 29

Where are Mediterranean Climates found?

Answer 29

These climates are found in the mid-latitudes on the western coasts of the continents.

In these regions, oceanic currents help to keep the summers dry and the winters mild and rainy

Question 30

What is it like in Arid or desert climates?

Answer 30

Arid or desert climates have a greater rate of evaporation than precipitation.

Question 31

Where are most deserts found?

Answer 31

While there are cold deserts, such as found in Antarctica, hot deserts make up the vast majority of arid regions. In fact, hot deserts are the most abundant climate on Earth.

Question 32

What are prevailing winds?

Answer 32

Prevailing winds are the winds that come primarily from
one direction over a specific area on Earth. They are
caused by the uneven heating of Earth’s surface and by
Earth’s rotation.

Question 33

What do prevailing winds do?

Answer 33

These winds carry masses of air from region to region. If a mass of air contains a great deal of moisture, precipitation occurs. During winter, the West Coast of North America gets a lot of rain because of prevailing winds. In Asia, these winds cause some regions to have monsoons while others are deserts.

Question 34

How does temperature affect water availability?

Answer 34

Temperature also influences water availability. The higher temperature causes large amounts of water to be evaporated from the Earth’s surface through evaporation and transpiration. Water evaporation from ocean, lake, sea and land surfaces due to higher temperatures leads to decrease in water availability in some regions. Higher temperatures also lead to increase amount of moisture in the air, leading to increase in precipitation levels in some regions.

Question 35

How is snow made

Answer 35

1. First, you need cold, dry air.
   2.Next, add heat from a large body of water to create water vapor.
   3.As the vapor condenses and freezes, clouds form. And if it’s cold enough, voilà! You’ve got yourself some snow.

Question 36

How does precipitation occur near the ocean and mountains?

Answer 36

Wind blows warm moist air from the ocean. The warm air is forced to climb up the mountain, the windward side, also known as the upwind side, has a cool and wet climate. As the air rises, it cools and condenses due to the lower temperature. Clouds form and precipitation occurs before the air passes over the top of the mountain. The air then travels down the downwind side of the mountain, the air warms, compresses, and evaporates. This side has worm and dry climate.

Question 37

As humans consume more water than can be recharged, changes to Earth’s surface and water supply occur. Some major impacts are as follows:

Answer 37

• lowering of the water table
• land subsidence
• saltwater intrusion

Question 38

How does land subsidence occur?

Answer 38

If the water table is not refilled at the rate that water is taken out

Question 39

What is the definition of land subsidence?

Answer 39

Sinking of land

Question 40

What can land subsidence cause?

Answer 40

saltwater intrusion

Question 41

What is the definition of saltwater intrusion?

Answer 41

The moment of saline water into freshwater aquifers

Question 42

True or false.

Saltwater intrusion can be a naturally occurring process.

Answer 42

True

Question 43

What is the major cause of saltwater intrusion?

Answer 43

A major cause of this contamination is over-pumping from our aquifers. As water is pumped from aquifers, the water table drops. At rapid rates, this forms a cone of depression because fresh water is not being replenished as fast as it is being pumped. Salt water rises and can move into the space where fresh water is depleted. If fresh water is not replenished fast enough, salt water from nearby oceans can seep inland and upward into the area.

Question 44

What is brackish water?

Answer 44

Brackish water contains more salt than fresh water, but not as much as salt water. This affects wells close to the coast, making them vulnerable to contamination.

Question 45

How do ocean current affect Mediterranean Climates?

Answer 45

In these regions, oceanic currents help to keep the summers dry and the winters mild and rainy