Water Facts, Information and Trivia to discuss and/or write about with your students.
DIFFERENT BODIES OF WATER...
A STREAM
is shallow, narrow, natural body of of flowing fresh water confined by opposing earthen banks running in parallel direction with the steam's flow. In general, streams run slow enough and are sufficiently shallow and narrow enough to be safely traversed without the aid of watercraft.
A BROOK
is a small, shallow stream with a more rapid current, often characterized by a rough or rocky bed.
A CREEK
is a small, shallow stream of generally slow moving water, often characterized by a smooth or sandy bed.
AN ARROYO
is a creek that flows intermittently between higher and lower land elevations with varying depth and speed depending upon changing seasonal weather conditions. An arroyo may transform almost instantaneously from a dry shallow to a swiftly moving body of water. In dry, mountainous areas, arroyos are often the source of flash floods.
A RIVER
is a larger body of water continuously flowing downhill over considerable distance from smaller upstream sources to a larger downstream reservoir, lake, sea, or ocean. Rivers are generally deep enough and wide enough to require the use of watercraft.
A STRAIGHT
is a narrower, shallower body of swiftly flowing water connecting two larger, deeper bodies of of water.
A RAPID
is section of fast moving water characterized by a rough, rocky bed and precipitous changes in elevation. The white water refers to the bubbling, roiling foam that results from the swift water flow twisting and turning over a winding uneven bed.
A POND
refers to a shallow basin of still water of less than ten surface acres. They may occur naturally, but are often man made.
A LAKE
(loch) is a large body of relatively still (usually fresh) water which is nearly or completely surrounded by land. Lakes may result from the accumulated flow of streams (either above or below ground level), or from mountain or glacial run off. Lakes are characterized by broad basins and may vary in size from approximately ten surface acres to several hundred square miles of surface area.
A RESERVOIR
is similar to a lake, but is the result of human engineering. Reservoirs may consist of a natural basin flooded by the deliberate damming or redirection of natural waterways, or they may be entirely manufactured by mechanically pumping water into large lined basins.
A SEA
is a large body of relatively deep (usually salt) water with limited or no connection to the greater oceans of the world.
An OCEAN
is a vast body of salt water forming the interconnected waterway that surrounds the entire world. Oceans are deep and derive their currents from a complex system variable water temperatures and weather systems borne out of their varying depths and their absorption of the sun's radiated energy.
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Talk to kids about the IMPORTANCE OF WATER AND HOW IT IS USED in our every day lives...
Some things are:
• For drinking to hydrate our body
• For cooking/food preparation
• Washing dishes
• Personal Hygiene
• Laundry
• House cleaning
• Agriculture
• Watering lawns and gardens
• Recreation...swimming, boating, fishing, skiing, etc.
• Sanitation
• Fire protection
• Washing our cars
• To generate power and to cool electricity-generating equipment
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WATER RELATED TRIVIA...
What is the most common substance found on earth?
Water
Does water regulate the earth's temperature?
Yes (it is a natural insulator)
At what temperature does water freeze?
32 degrees F, 0 degrees C
At what temperature does water vaporize?
212 degrees F, 100 degrees C
How long can a person live without food?
More than a month
How long can a person live without water?
Approximately one week, depending upon conditions
How much of the human body is water?
66%
How much of the earth's surface is water?
80%
How much water must a person consume per day to maintain health?
2.5 quarts from all sources of water and food)
How much water is used to flush a toilet?
2-7 gallons
How much water is used in the average five-minute shower?
15-25 gallons
How much water is used on the average for an automatic dishwasher?
9-12 gallons
On the average, how much is used to hand wash dishes?
9-20 gallons
How much does one gallon of water weigh?
8.34 pounds
What is the weight of water in one cubic foot?
62.4 pounds
How much water drops with an inch of rain on one acre of ground?
27,154 gallons, which weighs 113 tons
Of all the earth's water, how much is ocean or seas?
97%
How much of the world's water is frozen and therefore unusable?
2%
How much of the earth's water is suitable for drinking water?
1%
Is it possible for me to drink water that was part of the dinosaur era?
Yes - water is constantly recycled
How much water does the average residence use during a year?
Over 100,000 gallons (indoors and outside)
How much water does an individual use daily?
Over 100 gallons (all uses)
How many community public water systems are there in the United States?
54,000
How much water must a dairy cow drink to produce one gallon of milk?
Four gallons
How much water is used during the growing/production of almonds?
12 gallons
How much water is used during the growing/production of french fries?
6 gallons
How much water is used during the growing/production of a single orange?
13.8 gallons
How much water is used during the growing/production of a watermelon?
100 gallons
How much water is used during the growing/production of a loaf of bread?
150 gallons
How much water is used during the growing/production of a tomato?
3 gallons
How much water us used during the production of an egg?
120 gallons
How much water does it take to process a quarter pound of hamburger?
Approximately one gallon
How much water does it take to produce one ton of steel?
62,600 gallons
How much water is used to produce a single day's supply of U.S. newsprint?
300 million gallons
What is the total amount of water used to manufacture a new car, including new tires?
39,090 gallons per car
How much water is used during the growing/production of a chicken?
400 gallons
Water is the only substance found on earth naturally in three forms.
(Solid, liquid and gas)
How much water do these utilities process daily?
38 billion gallons
What does it cost to operate the water systems throughout the country annually?
Over 3.5 billion
How many miles of pipeline and aqueducts are in the United States and Canada?
Approximately one million miles, or enough to circle the earth 40 times
What were the first water pipes made from in the US?
Fire charred bored logs
Where was the first municipal water filtration works opened and when?
Paisley, Scotland in 1832
Of the nation's community water supplies, what percentage are investor-owned?
15 %
How many households use private wells for their water supply?
More than 13 million
"Aerodynamically, the Bumble Bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the Bumble Bee doesn't know that, so it goes on flying anyway."
Water is also a home and needed for echo-location for whales and dolphins as they navigate. Sound travels farther if the medium is water as opposed to air.
ReplyDeleteReally interesting statistics about water, kind of puts th resource into perspective. I love reading things like this because most people would never take the time to educate themselves about such an important topic.
ReplyDeleteGaige McCumbers- 9th Grade
Sounds like some good exam questions as we learn about Ecology, thanks!
ReplyDelete