71% of the Earth is Covered in Water

Although water covers over 70 percent of the Earth, less than 1

percent (0.3%) is available as freshwater for human use.

The vast majority of the

water on this “blue planet”
is found in the ocean, and
is salt-water. It is
unusable to us.
Of the freshwater
available on Earth, about
two-thirds is frozen in
ice caps and glaciers,
which leaves only a small
fraction accessible for
human use.
 Freshwater
Surface water - such as that in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and
streams—is the primary water source for humans. (0.3%)

Groundwater - water
underground in aquifers
(highly permeable
rocks, soil, and sand)—
can be extracted through
wells or found as springs.
This is NOT our primary
source!
 Why not use Salt
Water?
TOO EXPENSIVE!!!

Can cost over $1,000 per acre-

foot to desalinate (unsalt)
seawater to make it available for
human use.
 Did you know?
• There is the SAME
water on Earth as there
was when the Earth
was formed. The water
from your faucet could
contain molecules that
dinosaurs drank.

HOW is that possible?

 The Water Cycle
Water is constantly being renewed in the water
cycle!
My Life Cycle
As the sun warms the
water I EVAPORATE
and become a gas.
When rising I group
with other water
molecules because of
the cool air to form
clouds.
CONDENSATION
 Cool air at the top of
the mountain prevents
me from going higher. I
fall to the ground in the
form of
PRECIPITATION
I RUNOFF
Into streams, rivers,
lakes and oceans!

I RUNOFF into
Streams, lakes
And the ocean
I may also
INFILTRATE
The soil.
“I sometimes TRANSPIRE out of a Plant!”
“Yep, even those plants.”
A short Water Cycle
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StPobH5
ODTw&feature=related
 The Water Cycle
Rap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3NeM
VBcXXU
Water Cycle Vocabulary
Terms
 Evaporation
The turning of liquid water into a gas
 Transpiration
• Water evaporating from plant leaves
 Condensation
• Water turning from a gas into a liquid
 Precipitation
• Water falling back to Earth in the form of
rain, snow, sleet or hail
 Runoff
• Water flowing over the Earth’s surface
 Infiltration
• Infiltration is the process by which water enters the soil
from the ground surface.
• Will only happen if there is room available for additional
water in the soil.
• If no room is available,
then runoff occurs.
 Percolation
• The movement of water through the soil
 Humans affect the
cycle…
• Create dams and reservoirs for use, irrigation, electricity