Water
Although water is all about us, seen and unseen, we still find it mysterious and, in many ways, one of the least understood of all our natural resources.
The Earth is a watery planet, with most of its surface covered with oceans and seas. The presence of large amounts of water makes our planet unique in our solar system, probably the only one capable of sustaining life. The nature of water makes it essential to life, and the nature of life makes it dependent on water. If we should someday discover life outside our solar system, it will most likely be on another watery planet similar to ours.
The Earth is a watery planet, with most of its surface covered with oceans and seas. The presence of large amounts of water makes our planet unique in our solar system, probably the only one capable of sustaining life. The nature of water makes it essential to life, and the nature of life makes it dependent on water. If we should someday discover life outside our solar system, it will most likely be on another watery planet similar to ours.
Water
- Water: Properties and Characteristics
- Ice is less dense than water.
- Water has cohesive and adhesive properities
- Water has a high specific heat capacity.
- Little of the Earth's water is drinkable.
- Surface Water
- River Systems
- Ground Water
- The Big Users
- Water Management
- Everyone lives downstream.
- Point and Nonpoint Source Pollution
- Wastewater
- Artificial Eutrophication
- Thermal Pollution
- Groundwater Pollution
- Be a part of the solution
- About the Author
Water: Properties and Characteristics
Water is as simple as it is complex. It is a small molecule made up of just 3 atoms, 2 hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Both hydrogen atoms bond to the oxygen, but rather than directly across from each other, they are at an angle. As the oxygen atom is so much larger than the hydrogen atoms, the electrons spend more time around the oxygen end. The water molecule is polarized. Like a magnet, it has a positive end and a negative end.Water is called the Universal Solvent because it can dissolve so many different substances. It is a double-edged sword. It can dissolve nutrients and minerals necessary for life, as well as heavy metals and pollutants.
Ice is less dense than water.
Water is a familiar substance but it is an unusual compound. The solid form of water (ice) is less dense than water in liquid form. Most substances contract as the temperature drops, but water forms a crystaline structure as it freezes. Tiny pockets of air caught within its latticework. The consequences for this peculiar characteristic are immense. Ice forms on the surface of lakes, insulating the lower layers of water. This enables fish and other aquatic organisms to survive the long cold winters. If water contracted rather than expanded as it froze, it would sink to the bottom as it formed. Even the deepest of the northern lakes would freeze solid in the winter.The same property, ice being less dense than liquid water, has dangerous consequences for living cells. When living tissue freezes, ice crystals form. The expansion causes the cells to rupture, killing the cell.
Nature's Ice Sculptures
as far as the eye ca...
welcome
as far as the eye ca...
sign of life
Perito Moreno
sharing
Water has cohesive and adhesive properities
Water is a polar molecule. The slightly positive end is attracted to the slightly negative end of the molecules next to it. In other words, water appears to be sticky or elastic, clumping together in drops rather than spreading out in a thin film. The bond that is formed is called a Hydrogen Bond. It is a weak bond but it allows the drops to form and is responsible for what is called capillary action. The water can be drawn up, one molecule pulling the next one along, through the root systems of plants and through tiny blood vessels in mammals. Let it Rain
![Tropfen auf Laub by [mapu]](http://static.flickr.com/2531/3689475869_912094b46f_s.jpg)
Tropfen auf Laub
![Tropfen auf Laub by [mapu]](http://static.flickr.com/3649/3689473615_950c32cd30_s.jpg)
Tropfen auf Laub
![Tropfen auf Laub by [mapu]](http://static.flickr.com/3614/3690279290_7c841d3940_s.jpg)
Tropfen auf Laub
![Tropfen auf Laub by [mapu]](http://static.flickr.com/2540/3689476701_689277240f_s.jpg)
Tropfen auf Laub
![Tropfen auf Laub by [mapu]](http://static.flickr.com/2650/3690282358_b3b4869d4e_s.jpg)
Tropfen auf Laub
![Tropfen auf Laub by [mapu]](http://static.flickr.com/3644/3690280020_8469d9baa8_s.jpg)
Tropfen auf Laub
Water has a high specific heat capacity.
Water has a very high specific heat capacity. That means it can absorb a tremendous amount of heat before there is a significant change in temperature. During the day large bodies of water such as oceans and lakes absorb the sun's energy. When the sun goes down, the energy stored in the water is slowly released. If not for the large bodies of water covering our planet, the temperature difference between night and day would be severe. Properties of Water
Little of the Earth's water is drinkable.
Although about 75 % of the Earth's surface is covered with water, only about 3 % of that is fresh water. Seventy-five percent of that is found in the polar icecaps and glaciers, making its economical use practically nonexistent. Consequently, the amount of Water Available to Humans is ample, but may be limited depending on where you live.Nature recycles our supply of freshwater through a never ending process of evaporation and condensation. Water evaporates from the Earth's surface leaving behind salts and other impurities. The water vapor rises through the atmosphere, the gas cools and condenses into drops of liquid water. The water droplets grow in size until gravity pulls them back down to earth. This Water Cycle is a never ending process.
Snowflakes
central park - snowf...
central park, on the...
central park, on the...
Yellow flowers, blue...
Munchen
Munchen
Surface Water
Surface water is fresh water on the Earth's land surface. It is found in lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands. Although surface water makes up a small fraction of the freshwater on Earth, the distribution of surface waster has played a vital role in the development of human societies. Throughout history, people have built cities, towns, and farms near reliable sources of surface water. Some of the oldest cities in the world were built near river. Today, most large cities depend on surface water for their water supplies. Rivers, lakes, and streams provide drinking water, water for irrigation of crops, fish and shellfish, and hydroelectric power. 
Nature's Canvas
River Systems
River systems crisscross every continent. Streams form as water from falling rain and melting snow drain from the mountains, hill, plateaus, and plains. As the streams flow downhill they combine with other streams forming rivers. As streams and rivers move across the land, they form a network of flowing water called a river system. The Amazon, Mississippi, and the Nile river systems are enormous. They collect water from a vast area. The Amazon River System is the largest in the world. It drains an area of land the size of Europe.The area of land that is drained by the river system is called a watershed. As the river system is interconnected, pollutants dumped into a small stream upriver can end up contaminating the entire river system.
Nature's Highways
Yoga at the falls
IMG_9754
the swan
waterfall stage1
wentworthfalls stage...
weepingrock
Ground Water
Most of the fresh water that is available to us cannot be seen. It exists underground. When it rains, some of the water that falls flows into lakes and streams, but much of the water percolates down through the soil to the rocks beneath it. Water stored beneath the Earth's surface is called groundwater.As the water travels beneath the Earth's surface, it eventually reaches a point where the soil and the rocks are saturated with water. It has reached the water table. It we regions, the water table is close to or at the surface. Fresh water flows out onto the surface of the land. In other areas such as deserts, the water table may be hundreds of feet beneath the surface of the land.
Underground formations that contain groundwater are called aquifers. Most aquifers are made up of rocks, sand and gravel. Water trickles in and fills the empty spaces. Aquifers hold the water in much the same way that a sponge holds it.
Groundwater can dissolve rock formations leaving behind vast caves and cavities filled with water. These underground lakes are a major source of our Freshwater Resources.
Life Revolved Around the Well
The Big Users
The largest percent of freshwater usage is used for agriculture. Plants require a lot of water to grow, but as much as 80 percent of the water used in agriculture evaporates, never reaching the plant's roots.Industry is another big user of water. Water is used to manufacture goods, to dispose of waste, and to generate power. The amount of water need to manufacture everyday items is astounding. Over 500,000 Liters of water is needed to manufacture a single car.
Most of the water used in industry is used to cool power plants. The cooling systems in most power plants pump water from rivers or lakes into their cooling towers. It is then released back into the lake or river. The water is generally clean but it is warmer. Releasing hot water into lakes and streams can change its overall temperature upsetting its the ecosystem. Thermal pollution is a major issue in many parts of the country and around the world.
Just add Water
Water Management
For thousands of years man has altered streams and rivers to suit their needs. The Early Romans built huge aqueducts, huge canals brought water from the mountains to the dryer areas of France and Spain, and dams were built to keep small streams from drying up. Today we divert rivers and stream to irrigate fields in arid climates, build dams to generate hydroelectric power, build dikes to contain raging floods, and create reservoirs to play in.Managing our water resources is a complex issue, not one to take lightly. Disrupting the natural flow of water such as building dams and canals can have far-reaching consequences. When the land behind a dam is flooded, people are often displaced and entire ecosystems can be destroyed. Dams also affect the land below them. As a river enters a reservoir, it slows down. Some of the fertile sediment it carries settles to the bottom of the reservoir instead of enriching the farmland below the dam. Dam failure is another issue. If a dam bursts, property and lives below the dam may be lost.
In countries such as the United States, the era of large dam construction is over, but in developing countries the construction continues.
Careless Disregard
Everyone lives downstream.
Water Polution: A Serious Problem
Throughout time nature had kept up with the demand for clean, fresh water. The water cycle is an extremely efficient system. But as our population grows and technology advances, fresh water has become a prize commodity. The time for dumping waste into the water and letting the current carry it away has past.Many people assume that they can tell if a body of water is polluted by the way it looks or smells, but that is not always the case. There are many different forms of water pollution. Water pollution is the introduction of chemical, physical, or biological agents that degrade water quality and adversely affect the organisms that depend on the water.
To prevent water pollution people need to understand what the pollutants are and where they are coming from.
Point and Nonpoint Source Pollution
When we think of water pollution, we often think of a single source such as a factory or water treatment plant. When the source of the pollution can be traced back to its origin it is called point-source pollution. But even when the source of the pollution is known, enforcing cleanup is often difficult.
Non-point-source pollution comes from many different sources that are often difficult to identify. For example, a river may be polluted by runoff, but tracing the pollutants back to its source is nearly impossible.
Non-point-source pollution comes from many different sources that are often difficult to identify. For example, a river may be polluted by runoff, but tracing the pollutants back to its source is nearly impossible.
Be a part of the solution.
Wastewater
Wastewater is water that contains waste from homes and industry. It is piped to a water treatment plant where it is filtered and treated before it is released back into the environment.Most of the wastewater from homes contains biodegradable material that can be broken down. For example, wastewater from toilets, sinks, and showers contain animal and plant waste, paper, and soap. Unfortunately some household and industry wastewater contains harmful substances that are not easily removed. Others are left in the sludge, solid waste left behind after the wastewater has been treated. This sludge contains dangerous chemicals and must be treated as toxic waste.
The most common method of disposing of the sludge is incineration. The ashes are then buried in a secure landfill. Unfortunately it is a very expensive process. Some towns and cities are looking for ways to reduce the toxins in the sludge to safe levels. Once it's deemed safe, it could be used for fertilizer.
Artificial Eutrophication
Most nutrients in water come from organic matter, such as leaves and animal waste, which is broken down into mineral nutrients by decomposers such as bacteria and fungi.Nutrients are an essential part of ay aquatic ecosystem, but an overabundance of nutrients can disrupt an ecosystem. Inorganic plant nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen, which is prevalent in sewage and fertilizer runoff, can cause an excessive growth of algae. The algae bloom, forming large floating mats. As the algae die and decompose, most of the dissolved oxygen is used. Fish and other organisms suffocate in the oxygen-depleted water.
Thermal Pollution
Thermal pollution occurs when power plants and other industries use water for their cooling systems, and then discharge the warm water back into the lake or stream. As the temperature increases, the dissolved oxygen levels decrease. Aquatic organisms suffocate and die. If the flow of warm water is constant, the entire aquatic ecosystem is at risk. Groundwater Pollution
Pollutants usually enter the groundwater when polluted surface water percolates down through the layers of sand, rock and gravel. Pesticides, chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and petroleum products are common groundwater pollutants.Leaky underground gasoline storage tanks are another issue. It is estimated that there are millions of these storage tanks sitting beside abandoned gas stations, farms and homes. The location of these tanks is not always known, so they are not repaired or replace until after the damage is done.
Be a part of the solution
The U.S. Congress has passed laws intended to drastically reduce water pollution, but it can't be eliminated. To use water is to pollute it. You can do your part by conserving water and minimizing the use of products that require vast amount of water to produce. As our population grows, the need for more water treatment plants will increase. To clean the water and keep it clean will cost dearly, but the cost of not doing it is higher-discomfort, loss of recreation, illness and death. Are you part of the solution?
Nature at its Best
Celebrate Nature
Do you stand in the shower until the water runs cold' or are you in and out in thirty seconds flat?
Do you feel conserving water is really necessary?
Margo_Arrowsmith wrote...
Not just around us, but in us. We are for the most part, water. That's why we need to drink so much! Great lens *****
Posted December 11, 2008
lou16 wrote...
Great lens - my daughter has been doing all about the water cycle in school this term (although not in as much detail as she's only 7!), but consequently she has turned into a 'water nazi.' Living in Australia we have to conserve our water so we have a timer in the shower and employ a number of water saving techniques around the home and garden.
Posted December 06, 2008
Rach_75 wrote...
Just stopped by to say thanks for the lensroll and got caught up reading! Being a water sign I love all things water - there's some really good info here. 5 stars from me!
Posted December 04, 2008
Rach_75 wrote...
Just stopped by to say thanks for the lensroll and got caught up reading! Being a water sign I love all things water - there's some really good info here. 5 stars from me!
Posted December 04, 2008
About the Author
Lensmaster ElizabethJeanAllen, aka Lizzy Jean, has been a member since March 16 2008, has rated 3,690 lenses, favorited 454, and has created 165 lenses from scratch. Lizzy Jean donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "The Mallard Duck". See all my lenses
Do you have a passion you want to share with the world?
Join Squidoo and build a lens!
You can make it for charity or for yourself.
Resources used to construct this page.
Arms, K. 2005. Environmental Science. Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, Austin, TX.
Hill, J.W. & Kolb, D.K., Editors 1992. Chemistry for Changing Times, Seventh Edition. Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
Water Science for Schools
The Water Cycle
Water Education Environment
Hill, J.W. & Kolb, D.K., Editors 1992. Chemistry for Changing Times, Seventh Edition. Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
Water Science for Schools
The Water Cycle
Water Education Environment
by ElizabethJeanAllen
I tell my students to Learn from the Past, Live in the Present, and Plan for the Future. With Squidoo I can do all three.
(more) 
