WH2O--Channel 11 News Team
Your Source for Water Wisdom
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WH2O--Channel 11 News Team Your Source for Water Wisdom |
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The Earth and Water by Savannah Click here for printer friendly version of this information. |
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Picture from Microsoft Clipart Essential Questions: What portion of the earth’s surface is water? What percentage consists of oceans, rivers, lakes, underground water, and ice? |
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Water Basics by Savannah |
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 Picture from http://www.nvsourcewater.info/
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Let me tell you about the basics of water. There are several basic facts you need to know about water, Such as common water measurements. The United States Geological Survey has measured water for decades. They take samples and investigate what is in our water. Another basic of water is pH. The pH is measured in a range from 0 to 14 with 7 being neutral. pH of less than 7 indicates acidity and greater than seven indicates base. The water we drink is in the neutral range. Another basic is Capillary action which is how water moves. Capillary action occurs because the water molecules stick together and to other things. An example of this would be dipping a paper towel in a glass of water and watch the water move up the paper towel. Water basics are interesting, we measure it, test it, and we even experiment with it. Now you know all the basics! |
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Schneider , S.H. . "Capillary Action." Water Science for Schools. 1996. USGS. 26 Jan. 2006 <http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/capillaryaction.html>. Schnieider, S.H. "Common Water Measurements." Water Science for Schools. 1996. USGS. 26 Jan. 2006 <http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/characteristics.html>.
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by Savannah |
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Water, Water, Everywhere, exactly where is the water on earth, and how much is there?
There is water in a lot of places on earth, like the ocean, rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, and even under the ground we walk on. There is also water in the air or what is also known as water vapor.
Can you imagine the United States over 90 miles thick. Put it like this, if you poured every single bit of water that is on the Earth on top of the United States, the United States would become over 90 miles thick! So that means that there is A LOT of water on this Earth.
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Perlman, Howard . "How Much Water is There on (and in) the Earth?." Water Science for Schools. 30 August 2005. USGS. 18 Feb. 2006 <http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html>.
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by Savannah and Emilee |
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 Picture from http://zhenghe.tripod.com/maps/ |
An ocean is a large body of salt water surrounding continents. The ocean is occupied by many types of fish, big and small. The oceans are Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and the Artic Ocean. About 96.5% of the Earth's water is Ocean. Most of Georgia's rivers flow to the Atlantic Ocean. The major river is the Savannah river. Other rivers include the Ogeechee, the Altamaha and it's tributaries, the Okmulgee, and Oconee, the Satilla, and the Saint Mary's which forms a part of the state boundaries with Florida. For more information on Georgia Oceans, click here.
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"Georgia(state)." Encarta. 1993. Microft coorporation. 02 Feb. 2006 <http://encarta.msn.com/text_761571609_3/georgia_(state).html>. "Oceans." Dictionary.com. 2000. Houghton Mifflin Company. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://dictionary.reference.com>. Schneider, S.H. "How much water is there on (and in) the Earth?." Water Science for Schools. 1996. USGS. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html>
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by Savannah |
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For more information on Georgia Rivers, |
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"B Rivers and Lakes." Georgia (State). 1993-2005. MSN Encarta . 18 Feb. 2006 <http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761571609/Georgia_(state).html>. "Chattahoochee River." National Park Service. U.S. Department of Interior . 17 Feb. 2006 <http://www.nps.gov/chat/>. "Rivers." Dictionary.com. 2000. Houghton Mifflin Company. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://www.dictionary.com>. Schneider, S.H. "How much water is there on (and in) the Earth?." Water Science for Schools. 1996. USGS. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html> "Streams." Dictionary.com. 2000. Houghton Mifflin Company. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://dictionary.reference.com>.
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Lakes and Ponds by Savannah and Emilee |
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Picture from http://mbgnet.mobot.org/ |
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"Georgia (state)." Encarta. 1993. MSN. 02 Feb. 2006 <http://encarta.msn.com/text _761571609_3/Georgia_(state).html>. "Lakes." Dictionary.com. 2000. Houghton Mifflin Company. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://dictionary.reference.com>. "Lakes of North Georgia ." 1994-2006. Golden Ink. 18 Feb. 2006 <http://ngeorgia.com/naturally/georgialakes.html>. "Ponds." Dictionary.com. 2000. Houghton Mifflin Company. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://dictionary.reference.com>. Schneider, S.H. "How much water is there on (and in) the Earth?." Water Science for Schools. 1996. USGS. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html>
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by Savannah |
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Picture from Microsoft Clip Art |
Erosion is going on all day, all the time. It's even happening right now! Water erosion has changed the way the Earth looks today. The force of erosion is always taking place here. The causes of erosion are the atmosphere and the oceans. The atmosphere and the oceans put together provide the planet with the weather, like the wind, rain, snow, and ice. Weather affects the surface of the Earth, wearing it down little by little. Rainwater flowing over the ground washes away rocks and soil, changing the ground and the shape of the Earth. Flash Floods can change river valleys, cause mud slides that can cover roads and cause sinkholes, that can swallow up houses. Erosion at a fast rate can spell TROUBLE! Erosion happens all the time, everyday. Often, we do not realize erosion is taking place! The Grand Canyon is an awesome example of how water flowing downhill can eventually wear down the rock below. The Colorado River has been cutting the gap of the canyon for thousands of years! While the Colorado River is responsible for cutting depth of the canyon, wind, water, rock falls, and even mudslide along the sides of the Grand Canyon are the reason for the width. If the water keeps flowing the Grand Canyon will keep on growing, growing, and growing some more! |
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Ritter, Michael. "Water Erosion." The Physical Environment. 06 November 2005. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://www.uwsp.edu>. "The Grand Canyon." Erosion. 2005. Scholastic. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://teacher.scholastic.com/dirtrep/erosion/canyon.htm>.
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by Savannah |
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Picture from http://www.mastercylender.net/photos/
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Most of the water we see each day is in lakes, ponds, oceans or the puddles on top of the ground. What we do not often see is the water that soaks into the ground. Water that has "gone bye-bye" is call groundwater. Water that soaks into the ground becomes part of a system, just as water that stays above the ground becomes part of a river system or ocean... If you traveled underground you would eventually get deep enough to find that all the rock around you is covered in water. This means that you have entered the Saturated Zone! The water in the saturated zone is called an aquifer. The height of water in this zone is considered the water table. In dry places, the water table is very deep, but in moist places, the water table is very shallow. When the water table is higher than the surface of the ground, streams, rivers, and lakes form on the ground. There is a ground-water system called the Blue-Hole Springs. They vary in size. The springs are mostly bowl shape containing a center blue boil. The Blue Hole Springs are windows into the underwater world of the upper Floridian aquifer. The boil is a refuge for all kinds of fish, like stripped bass looking for cooler water. |
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"Flint Riverquarium Water Exhibit." Flint Riverquarium . , Albany, GA. 10 January 2006. "Groundwater." Windows to the Universe. 5 May. 2003. 18 Feb. 2006 <http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/Water/groundwater.html&edu=mid&back=/search/search_navigation.html>.
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by Savannah |
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Picture from |
Water falling on the soil, runs off hills and mountains. The water will evaporate some, and is soaked in by the dirt. Eventually the moisture will soak into the ground below. The water that soaks into rocks is considered to be ground water. The moisture will sink inside the rocks, until the stones become full of water. Whether the rocks become full or not, depends on the type of weather we have. The water is higher during rainy weather, because, of course, all the water that soaks into the ground. The water is low during dry weather because of the lack of rain. The area between where there is a lot of water, and where there is nearly no water is considered to be the water table. The ground water doesn't splash into streams. It doesn't flow in lake-like pools either. A water well is a hole drilled in the ground to a spot under the water table. When there is not a lot of rain, it may cause the water table to fall in water, thus causing a well, in your yard, to go dry! |
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Sund, R. "Water Table." Elementary Science Discovery Lessons: The Earth Sciences. 1973. Allyn and Bacon Inc.. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://www.sd5.k12.mt.us> |
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