@ In this unit you will find out the answers to these questions: > What is the hydrosphere?, > Why.is there a of water, if most of the Earth’s surface is covered with water? >> What is the water cycle? B > Where is water found on land? Bi > What is water pollution? B) Before you start, check you understand the meaning ofthe words in blue. B / all the waters on the Earth's surface, such as rivers, lakes and seas when there Is nat enough of something ater cycle: continuous process of ‘evaporation and condensation of water on Earth jon: introduction of a harmful substance into the Earth’s atmosphere, waters or8 The hydrosphere ‘The Earth is the only planet in the solar system that has surface ‘water: three quarters of the Earth is covered with water. Intense volcanic activity resulted in water vapour in the primitive atmosphere. This water vapour condensed as the planet slowly coole down and created the oceans. Comets entering the Earth's atmospl also contributed some of this water. ‘The water on the Earth's surface is called the hydrosphere. tion of vss 97% of waters in the Teint ante. ‘oceans (salt water, so ee 735 Za ‘water for human consumption joo Of the water available to living things (surf ‘and groundwater), o (0.0196 s used for ‘human consumption. | freshwater 3% freshwater is stored | atthe polaricecaps undwater, in the form of ice. 20% 1.1. Properties of water Water is a very good solvent and is used in many life functio For example, blood contains water and transports dissolved nutrients and waste products. Plants can only absorb nutrients they are dissolved in water. Water has a high thermal capacity and regulates temperatui because it heats up and cools down slowly. Sweating is a ‘mechanism that allows many living things to regulate their bod temperature. Water reaches its maximum density in aliquid state at 4°C. Unlike other liquids, water is less dense and has more volume inj ‘comet: object in space consisting solid state (ice) than in a liquid state. This is important for aqua ‘ofa nucleus of ice and dust living things: when the temperature drops and ice forms, the ica solvent: substance able to dissolve floats on top of the liquid water, which means life can continue other substances, below the ice. blood: red liquid inside your body waste product: unusable substance left over from processes in the body sweating: release of liquid through ‘the skin in reaction to heat, exercise, etc. Unit 6 [aay MIE How much of the Earth is covered with water: a) 1/4 b) 3/4) 1 {Name three properties of water. Listen and check.| B The water cycle freeze: when a liquid turns into a The water cycle is a continuous cycle in which water changes from solid by cooling | water vapour in the atmosphere to liquid water on the Earth’s surface flow: when a liquid moves | and back to water vapour again. continuously ‘The four processes of the water cycle are: evaporation, onree Ferre res wate tant rain, melted snow, etc, that transpiration, condensation and precipitation. flows aver the surface of wet @ The Sun evaporates the Earth's water and the oceans. This causes land it to change from liquid to gas: vaporisation. The vapour inexhaustible: never-ending determines the amount of humidity in the air. landscape: al the visible features of an area of land 1 Through transpiration, plants also release water vapour into the atmosphere. Humid air rises and cools and forms clouds. Water changes from gas to liquid: condensation. When the temperature inside the cloud falls, the water freezes into ice crystals. 1 Water returns to the Earth's surface in the form of rain, snow or hail (precipitation) and finally flows into the seas and ‘oceans. ‘When snow melts and turns to liquid there is surface run-off. aa Pntsabsor water fom the — {ground and send it back 0 se e mosphere as water C4 transpiration | YePuFthrough transpiration. bt vote In this way they contribute to Fe i | the formation of clouds. ge evaporation Some of the water from precipitation filters Sen trout [some of ie vaterfows | permenl ks the [ite treeartssuace | | subsoil and forms | and goes into the seas and | ‘The water cycle guarantees that the total amount of water on the Earth remains constant. But water is not an inexhaustible resource and 50 itis important to look after it and use it responsibly. Water is also closely linked to our planet's climate and landscape. ‘The liquid par ofthe Earth