Earth: The Water Planet

The Water PlanetAbout 70% of Earth’s surface is covered in

waterWhere is most of the water?

The OceansWhere are some other places water is found

on Earth?Rivers and Streams, Lakes and PondsThe AtmosphereGroundwaterGlaciers, snow and iceWater in living things

Fresh WaterOnly a small portion of Earth’s water is fresh

waterMost of the fresh water is locked up as ice in

glaciers and polar icecapsAdd ocean water and ice together, 99.4% of

Earth’s water is inaccessible to humansHow much of Earth’s water IS available?

Only 0.6%!!Where, besides glaciers and icecaps would you

find fresh water??Lakes, rivers, ponds, groundwater, atmosphere, soil

The Water PlanetThis picture shows ALL of Earth's water (liquid, ice, freshwater, and salt water) as a sphere.

It would be about 860 miles in diameter (about the distance from Salt Lake City, Utah to Topeka, Kansas, USA).Credit: Illustration by Jack Cook, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; USGS.

Fresh WaterOnly a small portion of Earth’s water

is fresh waterAdd ocean water and ice together,

99.4% of Earth’s water is inaccessible to humans

How much of Earth’s water IS available?Only 0.6%!!

Water and the AtmosphereWater is in the atmosphere in form of liquid(rain, mist, fog, clouds) or solid (hail, sleet, snow).

Water is part of the atmosphere in form of gas (water vapor).

Water vapor can range from 0 – 4% of the volume of atmospheric gases higher % in the tropicslower % in polar regions and deserts

Water vapor is a greenhouse gas.

3rd Grade Water Cycle

Water CycleThe Sun is the power behind the water cycle.

Bodies of water (and water from plants) experience

evaporation when exposed to air/heat.

Salt is left behind when water

evaporates – water vapor is “fresh

water” only.

Low KE allows water vapor molecules to cool, slow down, and

join together. Condensation.

When condensed water responds to gravity, precipitation occurs. Depending on air temperature – the water will fall

as rain, snow, sleet or hail.

The precipitation can: • evaporate, • runoff into lakes

and rivers, • filter into

groundwater,• be taken in by

living things, then excreted .

Eventually, through

watersheds, all water ends up

back in the oceans.

Obviously, there are many pathways a water molecule

can take throughout the water cycle.

Renton Water: Aquifer

Renton Water: Aquifer

• The water in the City of Renton comes from the Cedar Valley Aquifer

• The groundwater soaks into the ground and is naturally filtered

• Wells are drilled into the ground to extract the water

• Some chemicals (Chlorine, Fluoride) are added to the water before it reaches your sink

Water cycle videohttp://climate.nasa.gov/ClimateReel/WaterWaterEverywhere640360/

The Water Cycle Game You will represent one molecule of water You will begin your journey in one of the 9

locations

1. Go to your assigned Poster and record your location.

2. Roll a die.3. Write down what happened (above arrow)

and where you are supposed to go (in box).4. Identify whether you are solid, liquid, or

gas (in box).5. Move to your next location and repeat until

you have rolled 10 times.

Reflection1. Color code your boxes accordingl

2. Which location did you visit most often?3. Which location did you visit the least?4. Were there any locations you never visited?5. How was the ‘regular version’ different from

the ‘Global Warming’ version? Why?6. What is wrong with this model? What would

make it more accurate?

Salt Water Ice/Glacier Organism Fresh Water

Ocean Glacier AnimalPlant

Lake, RiverGroundwaterAtmosphereSoil

Read Pages 45-47 and answer these questions in your journal:1. Why is Earth called the Water Planet?2. How did the Water Cycle Game relate to the

graph on page 45? Did you get stuck anywhere?

3. Where on Earth is it continually dry? Continually wet?

4. Why is the demand for water increasing worldwide?

5. What are some things you could do to reduce the amount of water you use?