Science Unit 7 Lesson 7

Question 1

In 2015, the United States, on average, used ?billion gallons of water per day on uses ranging from agricultural to municipal to industrial.

Answer 1

322

Question 2

The following are a few examples of how different industries use water:

Answer 2

• Industries use water to manufacture products such as food, paper, pharmaceuticals, and glass.
• Thermoelectric power plants use water to generate electricity with steam-driven turbine generators.
• Mining industries use water to dislodge minerals from rocks or to extract various metals (such as copper or iron) from their ores.
• During hydraulic fracturing, water and other chemicals are injected deep into rocks to recover oil and gas.

Question 3

According to data collected by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in 2015, self-supplied industrial, mining, and thermoelectric power accounts
for ? percent of total water withdrawals.

Answer 3

47

Question 4

In 2015, how did thermoelectric power affect water supplies?

Answer 4

Out of these three, thermoelectric power withdraws the most water, approximately 133 billion gallons per day.

Question 5

How do industries affect water supplies?

Answer 5

Thermoelectric power plants, mining, and other industries withdraw water to manufacture products and generate electricity. Industries also use water to cool, wash, dilute, fabricate, and transport equipment and goods. It is crucial to understand how these industries impact surrounding water resources.

Question 6

What are the two ways thermoelectric power plants use water?

Answer 6

• Boiling water creates steam, which powers turbines and generates electricity; and cold water is also used in power plants to cool equipment.
• The heated water is cooled using cooling towers before being released back into the environment. Thermoelectric power plants can have a negative impact on local water resources.

Question 7

How can thermoelectric power plants have a negative impact on local water resources?

Answer 7

• These power plants pump massive amounts of water from rivers and reservoirs. Even though the water is replaced, this pumping still places a threat on the available water supply.
• When the high temperature water is released back to the environment, it decreases the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. This is called thermal
  pollution. Thermally polluted water can harm the quality of water and makes the water unfit for aquatic life.

Question 8

What is thermal pollution?

Answer 8

When the high temperature water is released back to the environment, it decreases the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water

Question 9

How does fracking impact water supplies and the environment?

Answer 9

• Fracking imposes stress on water supplies as water use per well can range from 1.5 million gallons to 16 million gallons.
• The water and chemical mixture can leach into groundwater if the well is not structurally sound, if there are any spills, or if proper procedures have not been followed to store the mix.
• Methane gas can also leach into the groundwater and make the water flammable.

Question 9

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves what?

Answer 9

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves injecting water, sand, and chemicals at high pressure through a production well to retrieve gas and oil trapped inside rocks.

Question 10

How can smelting harm water supply?

Answer 10

The process used to extract metal from its ore is known as smelting. Liquid waste from smelting and accidental drainage can cause toxic water to enter the water supply. This water contains harmful contaminants, such as chromium, lead, and copper.

Question 11

Mining and other industries use and impact water in the
following ways:

Answer 11

• Wastewater is generated during mineral processing from equipment cooling, mine dewatering, and from stormwater runoff at mines and processing plants.
• Mining can affect water supplies due to altering groundwater flow paths, quarry dewatering, and rock removal. The runoff can dissolve heavy metals, such as copper, lead, and mercury, into groundwater or surface water.

Question 12

How is water used in water-jet fabrication?

Answer 12

It is a method used to cut glass with high-pressure water

Question 13

How is water used in smelting?

Answer 13

It is used to cool equipment, washing of smelter gases, and dust control.

Question 14

How is water used in hydraulic mining?

Answer 14

Hydraulic mining involves the use of water jets to mine for precious metals such as gold. Water dislodges rocks and moves sediments through sluice boxes that separate the gold from other debris.

Question 14

How is water used in fracking?

Answer 14

During fracking, a process to extract gas and oil from rocks, a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals is injected into the rocks at high pressure through large pumps. The pressure of the fracking fluid releases the gas trapped inside.

Question 15

How do petroleum refineries use water?

Answer 15

Petroleum refineries transform and refine crude oil into more useful oils like gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel oils, and more. Water is used in cooling tanks to remove heat from the process. Petroleum refineries also use water to protect equipment from corrosion and to remove salt and impurities from crude oil.

Question 16

How do thermoelectric power plants use water?

Answer 16

Thermoelectric power plants use boiling water to create steam. The steam spins the turbines to generate electricity. These power plants also use water as a cooling agent to cool the steam so it can be reused to generate more electricity.

Question 17

How do pharmaceutical companies use water?

Answer 17

Pharmaceutical companies use water for cleaning equipment and chemical synthesis. Water is also used as an inactive substance in products like injections and ointments.

Question 18

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in 2015, irrigation and livestock combined used ? billion gallons of water per day

Answer 18

120

Question 19

The following are a few examples of how water is used in agriculture:

Answer 19

• irrigation
• applying things such as fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides
• cooling crops (light irrigation)
• raising livestock
• frost control

Question 20

What is chemical synthesis?

Answer 20

Chemical synthesis is the process of carrying out chemical reactions to obtain one or more products.

Question 21

Where does water used in agriculture come from?

Answer 21

Surface water (such as rivers and streams), groundwater, or rainwater

Question 22

What affect does the quality of agriculture water have on crop yield?

Answer 22

If the quality of agricultural water decreases, it has a negative effect on crop yield.

Question 23

What affect does the quality of agriculture water have on water resources?

Answer 23

Poor agricultural practices, mismanagement of farms, and animal waste can have a negative impact on water resources.

Question 24

What is the definition of agricultural water?

Answer 24

Water used to grow fresh produce and raise livestock

Question 25

What is NPS pollution?

Answer 25

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution refers to diffuse contamination (or pollution) of water or air that does not originate from a single discrete source. This type of pollution is often the cumulative effect of small amounts of contaminants gathered from a large area.

Question 26

What agricultural activities cause NPS pollution?

Answer 26

Agricultural activities that cause NPS pollution include poorly located or managed animal feeding operations; overgrazing; plowing too often or at the wrong time; and improper, excessive, or poorly timed application of pesticides, irrigation water, and fertilizer.

Question 27

What pollutants result from farming and ranching?

Answer 27

• sediment
• nutrients
• pathogens
• pesticides
• metals
• salts

Question 28

What type of practices can help minimized the use of surface and ground water?

Answer 28

Impacts from agricultural activities on surface water and ground water can
be minimized by using management practices that are adapted to local conditions.

Question 29

What is the Clean Water Act?

Answer 29

have been used to control NPS pollution from working farms

and ranches

Question 30

What does the U.S. Department of Agriculture do?

Answer 30

provide cost-share, technical assistance, and economic incentives to implement NPS pollution management practices.

Question 31

The most prevalent source of agricultural water pollution is soil that is washed off fields. Describe this process.

Answer 31

Rain water carries soil particles (sediment)
and dumps them into nearby lakes or streams. Too much sediment
can cloud the water, reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches aquatic plants. It can also clog the gills of fish or smother fish larvae.

Question 32

What is sedimentation?

Answer 32

The most prevalent source of agricultural water pollution is soil that is washed off fields. Rain water carries soil particles (sediment)
and dumps them into nearby lakes or streams. Too much sediment
can cloud the water, reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches aquatic plants. It can also clog the gills of fish or smother fish larvae.
In addition, other pollutants like fertilizers, pesticides, and heavy metals are often attached to the soil particles and wash into the water bodies, causing algal blooms and depleted oxygen, which is deadly to most aquatic life. Farmers and ranchers can reduce erosion and sedimentation by 20 to
90 percent by applying management practices that control the volume and flow rate of runoff water, keep the soil in place, and reduce soil transport.

Question 33

How does the nutrients added to the soil effect the water?

Answer 33

Farmers apply nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium in the form of chemical fertilizers, manure, and sludge. They may also grow legumes and leave crop residues to enhance production. When these sources exceed plant needs, or are applied just before it rains, nutrients can wash into aquatic ecosystems. There they can cause algae blooms, which can ruin swimming and boating opportunities, create foul taste and odor in drinking water, and kill fish by removing oxygen from the water. High concentrations of nitrate in drinking water can cause methemoglobinemia,