Download Distribution of Water

Distribution of Water……….
• Chemical description –
– H2O (2 Hydrogen and 1 Oxygen)
• This compound can exist as a solid, liquid or gas.
• Pure water has a pH of 7, which is neither acidic nor
basic.
Distribution of Water…………
• Water is called the “universal solvent”
because it dissolves more substances than any
other liquid.
• Wherever water goes, it takes along valuable
chemicals, minerals, and nutrients.
Division of Water…………
• 73% of Earth’s surface is covered by water which is
not evenly distributed and most of it is unsuitable for
drinking.
• 97% is water is salt water found in our oceans.
• 3% of water is freshwater.
Division of Water…………
• Of the 3%, 75% is frozen in polar ice caps.
Division of Water…………
• Another large percentage is found in
watersheds – a region that collects runoff
water that then becomes part of a river or a
lake.
Division of Water…………
• A large amount of fresh water that you cannot
see flows underground. The water located
within the rocks below Earth’s surface is called
groundwater.
So…how much water is useable by
humans?
Uses include: drinking, personal hygiene, agriculture,
fisheries, transportation, heating and cooling,
manufacturing and many other purposes.
Guesses ???? 10% 5% 30% 50% 20%
If you guessed any of these amounts you are
wrong.
Amount of fresh water that is useable is only
1% !
Today’s Vocabulary
• subsurface
topography
• Indian Ocean
• Arctic Ocean
• seamount
• Atlantic Ocean
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coastal shelf
Pacific Ocean
coast slope
mid-ocean
ridge
• trenches
• plains