Science Water Systems Quiz #1

Exxon Valdez oil spill
March 24th 1989
Prince William Sound, Alaska
Deep water horizon oil spill
April 20, 2010
Macondo Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico

Species that live in each type of water
Salt water: Whale
Fresh water: Otter
Both: Salmon
Water Cycle
A continuous pattern in nature in which water moves as it changes above on and below earths surface
How does the sun contribute to the water cycle
The sun provides thermal energy that drives the whole cycle
Factors affecting a Water table
Rises due to:
Heavy Rainfall
Lake seepage
Melted snow and glaciers
Removal of deep-rooted trees
Falls due to:
Persistent drought
Bottled water industry
Inefficient showers and toilets
Ground water mining
Structural change in soil due to construction
Aquifer
An underground storage of water
Pollutants of Aquifers
Agricultural chemicals, Land fills, leaking oil tanks and accidental spills
Ground water
Water that has seeped its way bellow earths surface
Zone of saturation
A layer of porous rock in which all pours are full
Water Table
In the ground the level where porous rocks are saturated with water, the top of the zone of saturation
Difference between a swamp and a marsh
A swamp is a wet land that has large trees/shrubs a marsh is a wet land that has small bushes
What is an estuary
An estuary is where fresh water from streams and mixes with salt water from the ocean
Where in Canada can you find an estuary
St. Lawrence River

Distribution of water on earth
Oceans (salt water) 97% Fresh water 3%
Percentage of land to water
71% - 29%
**Why are these numbers only approximations?
These numbers are only approximations because it is always changing since water is constantly moving (H2O cycle)
Much of the water that goes to homes in the GTHA comes from Lake Ontario. What needs to be removed from Lake Ontario water before it can safely be consumed?
Living things, dirt, germs, salt, rocks/other objects, minerals, bacteria, animals, etc
Salinity
The amount of salt dissolved in a body of water
Difference between a swamp and a marsh
A swamp is a wet land that has large trees/shrubs a marsh is a wet land that has small bushes
What is an estuary
An estuary is where fresh water from streams and mixes with salt water from the ocean
Where in Canada can you find an estuary
St. Lawrence River
There is very little biodiversity found in an estuary. Why?
Not all plants and animals can thrive in the conditions
Name the oceans
- Atlantic
- Pacific
- Indian
- Arctic
- Southern

Difference between upstream and downstream
Water comes from upstream which is at a higher incline and goes downstream
Young river vs Old river
Young:
Narrow, straight and fast moving
Old is the opposite
Valley vs Plain
Valley is a steep channel
Plain is wide gently sloping area of land
Rivers vs Highways
Rivers only go one direction highways go both
Factors that affect river flow in a certain direction
Incline, flat land, wind
Why might the flow of water and the deposits of sediment and rock that it leaves behind be useful to scientists
To study the history of earth from rock deposited

Flood plain
Wide area of the valley floor that catches flooding
Levee
Elevated ridges built to stop or slow flooding
Melt water
A quick thaw increasing the runoff from snow
Advantages of rivers overflowing
Spread sediments and nutrients over the valley floor
Makes land fertile
Disadvantages of river overflowing
Lots of destruction to farms and civilization
Kills people and animals
Cost billions in damage
How do humans increase the risk of floods
Removing natural vegetation along rivers
Covering the ground in impermeable materials (cement)
How do humans decrease the risk of floods
Dams, levees, drainage
Why is a levee only a temporary solution to flooding
They can overflow, erode or be destroyed