water cycle

Evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation

What are the steps of the water cycle

Evaporation

Phase change from liquid to gas through heating

Transpiration

The process by which water vapor is released from plants into the atmosphere, often through small openings in leaves called stomata.

condensation 

Phase change from gas to liquid (only happens when water has something to stick to, aka condensation nuclei)

Precipitation

Rain, snow, sleet, and hail

purification

cleaning water to remove impurities and contaminants.

evaporation

What is the most common way water is cleaned

infiltration 

water going into the soil and becoming groundwater.

capillary water

held in the spaces between soil particles, providing moisture to plants.

Gravitational water/groundwater

water that gets pulled down 100s of feet

oceans (97%)

Where do you find the most water on the planet

frozen (2%)

Where do you find most freshwater on the planet

Specific heat

how much energy something can absorb without changing temperature 

carbon sink

store carbon

gyres

gigantic currents in each ocean (vortices)

great Pacific garbage patch

gathering of pollution in the center of the pacific ocean, primarily made up of plastics and other debris.

desalination

removing salt from water so it can be used for drinking or irrigation.

reverse osmosis 

the process by which water molecules transition from liquid to gas, typically due to heat.

surface water 

rivers/streams, ponds/lakes,

wet lands

areas where soil is flooded a certain number of days of the year

dams

stop water in a river

dikes

same as dams but in oceans 

levees

prevents flooding

aqueducts

moved water around kinda like pipes

atmosphere

water vapor that keeps the planet warm and stable; it plays a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate.

humidity

moisture in the atmosphere, the amount of moisture can be affected by temperature 

convection currents 

air that is hot is less dense; hot air rises. cold air is denser, cold air falls 

groundwater

a layer of sand under the ground that contains a lot of water. usually fed by rain or a body of water It is a vital source of freshwater for many ecosystems and human activities, stored in aquifers below the Earth's surface.

top user

agriculture

2nd most

industry

3rd most

domestic

withdrawal

take water out of a source 

consumption

withdrawn water that can’t go back to the source

degradation

Polluted water

Quantity issues 

rising demand, drought, wasting water, groundwater depletion, saltwater intrusion, changing the surface keeps water from getting into the soil, pollution in the atmosphere 

aquifer issues

overuse, saltwater intrusion and contamination of water sources.

water conservation

practices aimed at protecting and managing water resources to prevent depletion and ensure sustainable usage.

grey water

using water from sinks/showers 

xeriscaping

plants that don’t need water or require minimal irrigation, designed for arid climates.

clean water act

EPA had to monitor bodies of water that are navigable and set water quality standards to protect aquatic ecosystems and public health.

point source pollution

you can point to the source of the pollution that discharges pollutants directly into a water body, such as a pipe or a ditch.

non-point source pollution

pollution coming from sources you can’t identify

safe drinking water act

sets standards for any company that sens water to a house or business

pathogens 

sewage in water from humans or animals that can cause diseases, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

sediments

erosion from farms, deforestation, overgrazing, construction, mining roads

inorganic chemicals

factories, boats, roads, mines

organic chemicals 

spills, farms 

turbidity

measurement of how cloudy water is due to suspended solids such as sediments and organic materials.

2 nutrients

nitrogen and phosphorus 

Eutrophication

is the process by which water bodies become enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae and depletion of oxygen.

eutrophic

cloudy; a lot of algae and minimal oxygen levels

oligotrophic

clear, very little algae and high oxygen levels

sewage

anything that comes out of the drains or toilets in a home or business 

Not storm drains 

the things on the side of the road or in a parking lot that collect rainwater 

debris and grit

solids that accumulate in stormwater systems and can pollute water bodies.

particulate organic matter

solids that are composed of decaying plant and animal material, contributing to water quality decline.

colloidal and dissolves organic matter 

urine, soaps or detergents, and other compounds that can be present in stormwater runoff, impacting water quality.

dissolved inorganic matter

nutrient pollution that can harm aquatic ecosystems.

influent

going in to a water body or treatment system, typically referring to water entering a wastewater treatment facility or natural body of water.

effluent

going out of a treatment system or water body, usually referring to treated water released back into the environment.

primary treatment

removes solids from the water with screens and a clarifying tank

clarifying tank

water sits to let things float and sink before getting scraped out

pee/poop, nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, and pathogens 

What is left over after primary treatment 

Secondary treatment 

removes the organic matter using the trickling filter system  or the activated sludge system 

trickling filter system

wall that contains decomposers and the water trickles down the wall

activated sludge system

tank full of decomposers 

nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus and pathogens 

what is left over after secondary treatment 

tertiary treatment

biological nutrient removal (disinfect the water with chlorine, bleach, heat, or UV like to get rid of pathogens) 

clean water

What is left after tertiary treatment

septic system

individual on site water treatment 

composting toilets

kind of like a port-a-potty that use natural processes to decompose human waste into compost, reducing water usage and treating waste on-site.

using nutrient rich water

skipping biological nutrient removal in a treatment process that utilizes advanced filtration and chemical treatment to provide cleaner water.