Unit 15 (water)

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Questions and Answers

unpolluted fresh water, suitable for drinking is called?

Potable water

What is waters properties

Water is a simple molecule consisting of one oxygen atom bonded to two different hydrogen atoms.

What s the earth referred to by astronauts?

The Blue Planet

What is the process of plants giving off water, and how does it relate to the hydrologic cycle?

Evapotranspiration Signup and view all the answers

an underground layer of gravel, sand, or permeable rock that holds groundwater, and it is recharged by rainfall and percolation is called?

An Aquifer Signup and view all the answers

What is the process of transferring water from one area to another called?

Water diversion. Signup and view all the answers

a measure of the size and number of spaces in the substrate, important in the context of groundwater as it affects the storage and flow of water in aquifers is called?

Porosity Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between an unconfined and a confined aquifer?

An unconfined aquifer is usually near the land's surface, with the water table as its upper boundary, whereas a confined aquifer is bounded on top and bottom by layers impermeable to water, with water stored under high pressure. Signup and view all the answers

surface water that moves across the surface of the land and enters streams and rivers, contributing to the hydrologic cycle by flowing into bodies of water and eventually evaporating back into the atmosphere is called?

Runoff Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of diverting water for irrigation and other purposes?

Water bodies downstream are deprived of their source of water, leading to declining lake levels and affecting fish and other wildlife populations. Signup and view all the answers

How much of the world does not have acess to safe drinking water?

10% Signup and view all the answers

zone of aeration, the area above the water table unsaturated with water, and it is dependent on the level of the water table is called?

The vadose zone Signup and view all the answers

list the water diseases

cholera, malaria, dengue fever, and dysentery. Signup and view all the answers

How much water is found in oceans, and fresh water

97% of all the Earth’s water is found in oceans. 3% is freshwater Signup and view all the answers

What is the highest use of fresh water?

groundwater Signup and view all the answers

how many deaths occur due to water-related diseases

between 5 and 10 million deaths occur each year from water-related Signup and view all the answers

What is water that fills spaces in the substrate?

groundwater Signup and view all the answers

an aquifer that is usually near the surface of the land. The water in these aquifers is at atmospheric pressure and is recharged by rainfall and percolation, What are they?

Unconfined Aquifer Signup and view all the answers

what is the sequence of the hydrologic cycle

Evaporation, Transpiration, Condensation, Precipitation, Runoff Signup and view all the answers

what is an aquiclude and aquitard

An impervious confining layer is called an aquiclude. A permeable confining layer is called an aquitard Signup and view all the answers

It is bounded on top and bottom by layers impermeable to water. Water in these aquifers is stored under high pressure and recharged by rain and surface water from a geologic recharge zone. What are they?

Confined Aquifer Signup and view all the answers

name 4 common irrigation methods

surface/flood, spray, trickle, sub-Irrigation Signup and view all the answers

how much water does industry use?

23% of the world, 50% of the US, and 75% of Canada Signup and view all the answers

how much water is used in industry for cooling?

90% Signup and view all the answers

how many people will have water scarcity if trends continue?

By 2025, 1.8 billion people will have water scarcity, and 2/3 of the world’s population could suffer water stress. Signup and view all the answers

What is instream water use?

In-stream water use makes use of water in its channels and basins. Signup and view all the answers

what act from which year, seeks to protect U.S. waters from pollution. Setting water quality standards for surface water. and Limiting effluent discharges into the water

clean water act (1972) Signup and view all the answers

what happens if too much organic matter is added to the water?

all available oxygen will be used up Signup and view all the answers

the amount of oxygen required to decay a certain amount of organic matter is called?

Biochemical oxygen demand Signup and view all the answers

what is the difference between a point source and nonpoint source

A point source is a source of pollution readily located and identified while Nonpoint sources are more difficult to identify and control. Signup and view all the answers

What is it called when industry withdraws water from a source, uses it for cooling purposes, and returns heated water to its original source?

thermal pollution Signup and view all the answers

what methods are used to discharge heated water?

Large shallow cooling ponds, Cooling towers, Dry Towers Signup and view all the answers

what is excessive growth of algae and aquatic plants due to added nutrients referred to as?

Eutrophication Signup and view all the answers

how many liters spilled out of the exxon Valdez oil spill

42 million liters Signup and view all the answers

What is the sequence of wastewater treatment

Inflow, preliminary, primary, secondary, water recycling & disposal Signup and view all the answers

what marine oil pollution accident happened in 2010

the deep water horizon Signup and view all the answers

What is ground water mining?

Groundwater mining is removing water from an aquifer faster than it can be replenished. Signup and view all the answers

drawbacks of groundwater mining are?

Land settling, lowering of the water table, Saltwater intrusion into wells near coastal areas Signup and view all the answers

An increase in salinity is caused by growing salt concentrations in soil; as plants extract water from the ground, the salts present in all natural waters become concentrated. What is this refered to as?

Salinization Signup and view all the answers

when did the UAE start desalinating water?

since the 1970's Signup and view all the answers

What is a water-stressed country

where the natural water supply is well below the water demand. Signup and view all the answers

when did Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary become the first UAE wetland listed by Ramsar as a site of international importance

2007 Signup and view all the answers

What did the uae cabinet approve in 2010

National Strategy for Preservation of Water Resources (NSPWR) Signup and view all the answers

how does the UAE supply water while being a water-stressed country?

by desalinating sea water and brackish groundwater Signup and view all the answers

ice and snow account for how much of fresh water?

78% Signup and view all the answers

ground water acccounts for ho much of the world fresh water?

21% Signup and view all the answers

rivers and lakes account for how much of the worlds fresh water?

1% Signup and view all the answers

what happened in 2011 in haiti

Over 2000 people died of a cholera outbreak, due to contaminated drinking water Signup and view all the answers

What is it when wastewater is sprayed over a surface of rock or other substrate to increase the amount of dissolved oxygen.

trickling filtering system Signup and view all the answers

a mixture of organisms and other particulate matter that have settled out during the treatment process

Sewage sludge Signup and view all the answers

removes large particles via filtration and then pumps remaining water into settling ponds and lakes.

Primary sewage treatment Signup and view all the answers

a biological process that usually follows primary treatment.

Secondary sewage treatment Signup and view all the answers

an additional stage used to remove inorganic nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen left after primary and secondary treatments.

Tertiary sewage treatment Signup and view all the answers

why is there an absence of rivers and lakes in UAE?

Geographic location and prevailing climate Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Water Basics

Unpolluted fresh water suitable for drinking is called potable water.
Water's properties include its high surface tension, heat capacity, and ability to dissolve a wide range of substances.

Earth and Water

The Earth is referred to as the "Blue Planet" by astronauts due to its abundance of water.

Hydrologic Cycle

The process of plants giving off water is called transpiration, which is a key component of the hydrologic cycle.
Transpiration, evaporation, and condensation work together to circulate water throughout the environment.

Groundwater

An underground layer of gravel, sand, or permeable rock that holds groundwater is called an aquifer.
Aquifers are recharged by rainfall and percolation.
Porosity is a measure of the size and number of spaces in the substrate, affecting the storage and flow of water in aquifers.

Aquifer Types

An unconfined aquifer is not under pressure and is replenished by local rainfall, whereas a confined aquifer is under pressure and is replenished by distant sources.
A confined aquifer is bounded by impermeable layers, storing water under high pressure.

Surface Water

Surface water that moves across the land, entering streams and rivers, is called runoff.
Runoff contributes to the hydrologic cycle by flowing into bodies of water and eventually evaporating back into the atmosphere.

Water Scarcity and Health

Around 1 billion people globally lack access to safe drinking water.
Water-related diseases can cause a significant number of deaths.
Examples of water-related diseases include cholera, typhoid fever, and diarrhea.

Water Distribution

97% of the world's water is found in oceans, with 2.5% being fresh water.
The highest use of fresh water is in agriculture (around 70%).

Irrigation

Four common irrigation methods are flood irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation, and micro-irrigation.
Industry uses around 20% of fresh water, with a significant portion used for cooling.

Water Pollution

Instream water use refers to the use of water within a waterbody, such as rivers or lakes.
The Clean Water Act of 1972 seeks to protect U.S. waters from pollution by setting water quality standards and limiting effluent discharges.
Too much organic matter in water can lead to oxygen depletion, measured by Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD).
Point sources of pollution are from a single source, whereas nonpoint sources are from diffuse sources, such as agricultural runoff.

Water Treatment

The sequence of wastewater treatment includes primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment.
Primary treatment removes large particles, secondary treatment uses biological processes, and tertiary treatment removes inorganic nutrients.

Desalination

The UAE, a water-stressed country, supplies water through desalination, which started in the UAE in the 1970s.
Groundwater mining, or the removal of groundwater at a rate greater than its recharge rate, can lead to saltwater intrusion and decreased water quality.

UAE Water Management

Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary was listed as a site of international importance by Ramsar in 2007.
The UAE cabinet approved a national energy strategy in 2010, which included measures to conserve water and increase efficiency.

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Description

Learn about the effects of diverting water for irrigation and other purposes on the environment and ecosystems. Understand the implications of human activities on natural resources. Discover the consequences of altering the natural water cycle.