The Ultimate Water Quiz

Water, one of the most important resources on earth, exists in three forms - solid, liquid, and vapor. Its unique properties include being a universal solvent, having a high heat capacity, expanding when it freezes, having high wetting ability, and being less dense in its solid form. Water is mainly stored in oceans, seas, and bays, with only 3% being freshwater stored in icecaps, glaciers, permanent snow, groundwater aquifers, surface water bodies, and soil moisture. Watersheds, also called drainage basins or catchment areas, are essential for regulating rainfall, controlling soil erosion, maintaining stream flows, and providing habitats for many species. Destruction of watersheds can lead to decreased tree cover, increased soil erosion, siltation of waterways, flooding, and loss of habitats. Water scarcity, both physical and economic, can have severe impacts on health, education, food security, and poverty. Groundwater pollution is another significant issue caused by harmful substances entering the groundwater from sources such as landfills, underground storage tanks, and industrial-waste storage lagoons.