water resources week 6

Water Pollution

Contamination of water bodies, affecting ecosystems and human health.

Water Accessibility

The availability of water resources to meet human needs.

Hydrological Cycle

The circulation and conservation of Earth's water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

Evaporation

The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas, primarily driven by the sun's heat.

Transpiration

The process by which moisture is carried through plants from roots to small pores on the underside of leaves, where it changes to vapor and is released to the atmosphere.

Cohesion

The property of water that allows water molecules to stick together due to hydrogen bonding.

Adhesion

The ability of water to cling to other substances, important for processes like water transport in plants.

Capillary Action

The ability of water to travel against gravity through thin spaces, such as plant roots.

Non-consumptive Water Use

Water usage that does not permanently remove water from a source, even if it becomes contaminated.

Consumptive Water Use

Water usage where the water does not return to the source after use.

Blue Water Footprint

The amount of surface water and groundwater required to produce an item.

Green Water Footprint

The amount of rainwater required to produce an item.

Grey Water Footprint

The amount of freshwater required to dilute wastewater generated in manufacturing.

Run-off

Water that flows over the ground surface, often leading to rivers and oceans.

Infiltration

The process of water sinking into the ground.

Interception

Water caught on vegetation before it reaches the ground.

Surface Detention

Water that is held on the surface of the land.

Climate Change

Long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place, affecting water resources.

two biggest concerns about water resources

water pollution and water accessibility

four categories of human impact on water?

changes to earth’s surface

changes to earth’s climate/atmospheric pollution

withdrawals diversion for human use

excess pollution

4 important properties of water

Cohesion

moderation of temperature

ice floats on liquid water

water as a solvent

who are the biggest users of water

Non-consumptive Uses: Nonconsumptive uses of water: water may be contaminated but is still available to humans. Used in homes, industries, and
electric power production

Consumptive uses of water: the applied water does not return to the
water resource. It percolates into the ground or evapotranspires

what is water and used in the eastern vs western USA

Eastern US - most water is used
for energy production,
manufacturing

Western US - most water is used for
irrigation

what drives the hydrological cycle

driven by gravity and solar energy

Define transport

The movement of water through the atmosphere, specifically, from over the oceans over land.

Define condensation

The transported water vapor eventually condenses, forming tiny
droplets in clouds.

precipitation

The primary mechanism for transporting water from the
atmosphere to the surface of the earth.

what is ground water

beneath Earth's surface in rock and soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. It is stored in and moves slowly through geologic formations called aquifers

overland

WATER FLOWS OVER THE GROUND TO RIVERS AND STREAMS

what is evapotranspiration

WATER LOST BACK TO THE ATMOSPHERE BY EVAPORATION AND TRANSPIRATION IS KNOWN COLLECTIVELY