Chapter - 2

FRESH WATER

Date: 3 Jan 2023

Topic: Water

Q. Define the term water.

Water is made up of tiny particles called molecules. Each molecule of water contains
even tinier particles called atoms in one molecule of water there are 2 atoms of
hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. The chemical symbol for water is H2O.
Date: 3 Jan 2023
Q. Describe the importance of fresh water.

All living things on Earth need water and many plants and animals also human
beings must have fresh water in order to survive. Human beings become ill and
many even die if they cannot get pure, clean water. Humans can last only 3 days
without drinking water. Water is needed for many more purposes e.g. in agriculture
and industries, but this water doesn’t have to be so safe.
Q. Explain the distribution of water on the Earth.
97% is salty water in the seas and oceans. We cannot drink it.
3% is fresh. This is in rivers, lakes, rainfall, clouds, water vapour and is also
underground and trapped in ice and snow.

Earth has finite amount of fresh water.

Date: 4 Jan 2023

Topic: Water

Q. List the countries that will face serious water shortage by 2025.
Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Morocco,
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, United Arab
Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen.
Q. Outline the main reasons for the shortage of fresh water.
There are three main causes of shortage of fresh water.
1. Increase in population, Industries and irrigation
The growth of population in a country means that more water is required. This
leads to an increase in industries and in the area of irrigated farmland.

2. Pollution of fresh water

Even if there is sufficient fresh water in a country, it may not all be good for
drinking. At present about 29% of the world’s population have no safe drinking
water. Chemicals used in the fields by farmers pollute some of these drinking
water supplies.

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3. Problem of supply of fresh water

In many rural areas there are no pipes to carry water to people’s homes or to
their villages, women and children may walk a long way to get their water.

Date: 5 Jan 2023

Topic: flow chart shortage of water

Shortage of water
for irrigation

The output of the cotton

crop is Reduced

less raw cotton for Farmers have less

cotton textile industries cotton to sell

Industries produce farmers Income are

fewer cotton textiles Reduced

The amount of cotton Farmers have less to

textiles for export is spend on good seeds for
smaller/ reduced next year

The country earns less Next year’s crop is

from its exports Small/ lower/ reduced

Farmers Income are

The country has less to Smaller/ lower/ reduced
spend on health/
education/ sanitation.
Etc

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FRESH WATER

Q. Explain why an increase in a standard of living is likely to lead to an

increase in the use of water.
Living in an expensive home, will have more than one bathroom with hot and cold-
water supply, shower, Automatic washing machine, hose to water the garden and
wash car will likely lead to an increase in the use of water.

Q. Define the term Desalination.

A process that removes salt from seawater to produce drinkable water
Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the desalination process.
Advantages:
• Produces fresh water
• Eliminates potentially hazardous minerals and compounds.
Disadvantages:
• High Costs to Build and Operate
• Desalination process produces water with a very high salt content. This very
salty water is put back into the sea, this harms plants and is dangerous for
fish.
• Desalination plants add to global warming because it produces green house
gases as the process requires lot of fuel to burn.

Q. What does ‘fresh’ water means?

Water with no salt

Q. How much of the World’s water is fresh?

3%

Q. What may cause the fresh water pollution?

Chemicals, Industrial Waste, Sewage, garbage

Q. What may be the result of using polluted water?

Illness, loss of Income

Q. What are the results of shortage of fresh water.

a) Increased Global Conflict:
Fresh water resources often shared by two or more countries which may lead to
more international conflicts as freshwater becomes more scarce.

b) Lack of Access to clean water:

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FRESH WATER

Without access to clean freshwater these communities are exposed to deadly

water born illnesses and water gathering can limit educational and economic
opportunities.

c) Food Shortage:
shrinking water resources will make it difficult for food production.

d) Economic slowdown:
It is difficult to have a booming flourishing economy when water is not easily
accessible for industrial farming and individual use.

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