WATER ON THE EARTH

All the water existing on the Earth is called hydrosphere. Over 70% of the surface of the
planet is water. Bodies of water can be all sizes, from enormous oceans to small ponds.

Fresh water
Only 3% of the water in the world is fresh water. Examples of fresh water:
• Rivers: They are moving streams of water, usually formed in mountains. Rivers
can flow into an ocean, a sea or a lake.
• Lakes: They are large inland bodies of water. Most lakes contain fresh water, but
there are some lakes which contain salt water.
• Groundwater:It is water absorbed by ground.

Salt water
Over 97% of the water in the world is salt water. Examples of salt water:
• Oceans: They are large bodies of water. There are five main oceans in the world:
◦ The Pacific Ocean
◦ The Atlantic Ocean
◦ The Indian Ocean
◦ The Southern Ocean
◦ The Artic Ocean
• Seas: They are large bodies of water but they are smaller than oceans. Most Seas
are partly surrounded by land, but there are some seas which are completly
surrounded by water.

Seas and oceans are constantly moving. There three main types of movement.

Waves: they are mainly caused by wind moving across the surface of the water. Storms
make waves bigger. Earthquakes and volcano eruptions can cause enormous waves
called tsunamis.

Tides: they are mainly caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon. High tide is when
the water level is at its highest point. Low tide is when the water level is at its lowest
point.

Currents: they large masses of moving water below the

surface of a body of water.
 RIVERS

The place where a river begins is called the source. The place where the river meets a
lake, sea or an ocean is called the mouth. If a river flows into another river it is called a
tributary. Rivers have different features.

Riverbed: the ground under the water of a river.

Flow: the amount of water in a river.
River basin: all the land a river flows through.

Stages of rivers. Rivers have three main stages. The river’s flow varies in each of them.
Upper course: the river begins at the source. It flows down the slopes. It flows quickly
at this stage.
Middle course: the river flows more slowly. It forms curved areas called meanders.
Lower course: the river flows much more slowly. It gets wider as it reaches the mouth.

Rivers in Spain
Depending on the sea or ocean they flow into, Spanish rivers can be classified into three
watersheds: the Cantabrian watershed, Mediterranean watershed and Atlantic watershed.
In Spain, the are two main river basins: the Ebro Basin and the Guadalquivir River Basin.

GROUNDWATER

Most of the water which falls as precipitation from the clouds does not go directly into rivers or seas.
The ground absorbs the water. This water collects in spaces between rocks. It is called groundwater.

After water is absorbed, it passes throught porous rocks (rocks with holes in them). When the water
reaches IMPERMEABLE ROCKS (rocks with NO HOLES in them), it can no longer pass through. This
water collects, creating underground deposits of water called aquifers.

How does water get to the surface of the Earth?

Some water returns to the surface through natural springs. When different layers of impermeable rock
trap water, pressure is created and it forces the water upwards. Some of these springs become the
sources of rivers.

People dig through the ground to make wells to acces greoundwater in aquifers. In the past, people
used ropes and buckets to collect the water from the bottom of well.

Nowadays, modern wells use mechanical pumps. They bring the water to the surface faster and more
easily.

Groundwater is the main source of water for drinking and for irrigating crops. It is very important for
people to be careful with the products they use. These products can end up underground and they can
contaminate the groundwater.
 Minerals and rocks

Minerals

All minerals are inorganic, solid substances which occur naturally.

Some minerals can have just one chemical component like graphite and others can have more than
one lique quartz.

Rocks

Rocks are formed by one or more types of minerals. The external part of the Earth, called the crust. Is
made up of rocks. There are three types of rocks depending on their formation.

Igneous rocks
These rocks form when volcanoes erupt and the
magma or lava cools down and solidifies.

Sedementary
rocks
These rocks are made up of fragments of other
rocks or remains of plants and animals. Some
sedimentary rocks can contain fossils.
Fossils are remains of living things preserved in
the rocks.

Metamorphic rocks
These rocks form when igneous or sedimentary
rocks near the surface of the Earth push down.
The extreme heat and pressure they suffer make
metamorphic rocks deep inside the Earth.

Where can you find the different types of rocks?

Rocks near the surface of the Earth are ussually sedimentary rocks. Sometimes erosion or volcano
eruptions can expose igneous and metamorphic rocks at the surface.
 PROPERTIES OF MINERALS

Minerals vary in their chemical composition. They also vary in their physical properties, such as colour,
shape and hardness.

Colour → Minerals can be one colour or they can be many different colours.

Shape → Minerals have different shapes. They depend on the elements in the minerals and how they
are joined together.

Hardness → Minerals can be soft or hard. The categories on the Mohs Scale go from I (the softest) to
10 (the hardest). On this scale, each mineral can scratch the previous ones, and be scratched by the
following ones.

Talc: the softest mineral / Diamond: the hardest mineral

USE OF MINERALS AND ROCKS

diamonds
Jewellery → PRECIOUS STONES emeralds
Mineral and rocks turquoise
USES
iron
Kitchen utensils → metals silver
aluminium

Statues → Marble (also for kitchen countertops)

Building industry → limestone

Some mminerals, such as diamonds, emeralds and turquoise, are used in jewellery. They are
called precious stones.
diamonds
Precious stone emeralds
turquoise
Ring
Diamond Jewellery
Precious stone

Some metals obtained from minerals, such as iron, silver and aluminium, are used in kitchen
utensils and other everyday objects.

Fork
Iron
Kitchen utensil

Some rocks, such as marble are used to make statues. Marble is also used to make kitchen
countertops.

Marble
Statue
Countertop
Some rocks, such as limestone, are useful in the building industry. Limestone is usually used for
concrete and cement.
Label this rivers in Spain.
1. Write the correct word.
a) __________ is a large inland body of water. It can contain fresh or salt water.
b) __________ is a large body of salt water, but not very large. It can be partly or completly
surrounded by land.
c) __________ are very large bodies of salt water. There are five main of them in the world.
d) __________ is moving fresh water. It is usually formed in mountains and flows towards and
ocean, a lake or a sea.

2. Choose the correct option.

a) Aquifers are above / below impermeable rocks.

b) Only 3% of the water in the world is fresh / salt water.
c) Rivers / lakes are moving streams of water, usually formed in mountains.
d) Rivers / lakes are large inland bodies of water.
e) The water which is absorbed by the soil in the ground is groundwater / sea water.
f) Very large bodies of fresh / salt water are called oceans.
g) There are four / five main oceans in the world.
h) Earthquakes and volcano eruptions can cause enormous waves / tides called tsunamis.
i) The gravitational pull of the Sun / Moon causes tides.
j) Waves / currents are large masses of water below the surface of a body of water.

3. Match the sentences.

4. Where do these rivers flow into? Complete the table. Use the words in the box.

Turia Llobregat Nalón Duero Eo Ebro

Bidasoa Guadiana Tajo Segura

Cantabrian Sea Mediterranean Sea Atlantic Ocean

5. Write tributary, mouth or source.

a) This is a small river that joins a big river. _____________________
b) This is where a river meets an ocean, sea or lake. _____________________
c) This is where a river begins. _____________________

6. Write the parts of a river.

Tributary Source River bed Mouth

7. Label this rivers in Spain.

8. Circle True or False.

a) The meanders are curves in a river formed in the lower course. True / False
b) The mouth is the part of a river where it flows into another body of water. True / False
c) A river which flows into another river is a tributary. True / False
d) The source is the first stage of a river. True / False
e) The river basin is the area of land which a river flows through. True / False
f) The ground which a river flows over is the river basin. True / False
g) The lower course is the stage of a river where ir reaches the mouth. True / False
h) The place where the river begins is its source. True / False
9. Put the sentences about groundwater in order.

The water passes through porous rocks.

The ground absorbs the water.
The water collects, creating aquifers.
The water reaches impermeable rocks.
Water falls from the clouds.
The water collects in spaces between rocks.

10. Label the picture with the words in the box.

well natural spring sea source mouth meander aquifer

11. Write T (true) or F (false).

a) All the water absorbed through the ground comes back to surface of the Earth.
b) An aquifer is water collected in impermeable rocks.
c) Springs are places where water emerges naturally from below the surface.
d) Porous rocks can absorb water.
e) The water in rivers always comes from natural springs.
f) A well is an axcavation created in the grouns when digging to reach the underground water.
g) Hummans cannot contaminate water when it is very deep underground.
12. Complete

lower course river basin riverbed tributary upper course

meanders source mouth

a) The ___________ are curves in a river formed in the middle course.

b) The ___________ is the part of a river where it flows into another body of water.
c) A river which flows into another river is a ___________.
d) The ___________ is the first stage of a river.
e) The ___________is the area of land which a river flows through.
f) The ground which a river flows over is the ___________.
g) The ___________ is the stage of a river where ir reaches the mouth.
h) The place where the river begins is its ___________.

13.

a) Aquifers are below impermeable rocks.

b) Only 3% of the water in the world is fresh water.
c) Rivers are moving streams of water, usually formed in mountains.
d) Lakes are large inland bodies of water.
e) The water which is absorbed by the soil in the ground is groundwater.
f) Earthquakes and volcano eruptions can cause enormous waves called tsunamis.
g) The gravitational pull of the Moon causes tides.
h) Currents are large masses of water below the surface of a body of water.