UNIT 3 WATER

BODIES OF WATER:
OCEANS: LARGE BODIES OF SALT WATER. THERE ARE FIVE: PACIFIC OCEAN, ATLANTIC OCEAN, INDIAN OCEAN, SOUTHERN OCEAN AND ARCTIC OCEAN.

SEAS: LARGE BODY OF SALT WATER BUT SMALLER THAN OCEAN. SOME IMPORTANT SEAS ARE: MEDITERRANEAN SEA, ADRIATIC SEA, BLACK SEA, CASPIAN SEA, BALTIC SEA...

LAKES: LARGE ENCLOSED BODIES OF FRESH WATER.

RIVERS: WATER THAT FLOWS OVER THE GROUND TOWARDS A BODY OF WATER (OCEAN, LAKE, ANOTHER RIVER).

PARTS OF A RIVER:
RIVER BASIN: THE LAND A RIVER FLOWS THROUGH.

RIVERBED: GROUND A RIVER FLOWS OVER.


TRIBUTARY RIVER: A RIVER THAT FLOWS INTO ANOTHER RIVER.

DRAINAGE BASIN: AREA OF SEA OR OCEAN WHERE RIVERS MEET THE SEA.

SATAGES OF RIVERS:

UPPER COURSE: FAST-FLOWING (STEEP SLOPE) AND NARROW.


MIDDLE COURSE: MORE SLOW (GENTLE SLOPE OR PLAIN) SOME MEANDERS.

LOWER COURSE: VERY SLOW, WIDE. SOME ESTUARIES.
 

MAIN RIVERS IN SPAIN

THE WATER CYCLE

1. EVAPORATION: 

* SUN HEATS WATER IN SEAS, OCEANS, RIVERS AND LAKES. WATER EVAPORATES.

* PLANTS CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROCESS THROUGH TRANSPIRATION (PLANTS LOSE WATER THROUGH THEIR LEAVES).

 

* SOME ICE ON THE TOP OF MOUNTAINS AND ICE CAPS EVAPORATES DIRECTLY WITHOUT MELTING. THIS IS CALLED SUBLIMATION.

2. CONDENSATION: 

*WATER VAPOUR IN THE AIR RISES, COOLS AND TURNS INTO WATER DROPLETS AND ICE FORMING CLOUDS.

*CLOUDS APPEAR WHITE BECAUSE WATER DROPLETS REFLECT LIGHT. THE DARKER THE CLOUD LOOKS, THE MORE WATER DROPLETS IT CONTAINS.

 

3. PRECIPITATION 

THE WATER DROPLETS COMBINE AND GROW IN SIZE, WHEN THEY ARE TOO HEAVY TO STAY IN THE CLOUD THEY FALL TO THE GROUND AS PRECIPITATION.

4. COLLECTION

THE PRECIPITATION FALLS AND:

* COLLECTS IN BODIES OF WATER: RIVERS, LAKES, OCEANS, SEAS...

* IT IS ABSORBED BY THE SOIL= GROUNDWATER.

* RIVERS AND GROUNDWATER CARRY THIS WATER BACK TO OCEANS AND SEAS WHERE IT EVAPORATES AGAIN AND AGAIN.

GROUNDWATER

IT FORMS WHEN THE GROUND ABSORBS PRECIPITATION.

1. WATER TRAVELS THROUGH THE SOIL BY FINDING ROUTES IN POROUS ROCKS.

2. AQUIFERS ARE UNDERGROUND COLLECTIONS OF WATER. AQUIFERS LIE ABOVE IMPERMEABLE ROCKS.

THERE ARE TWO WAYS OF ACCESSING GROUND WATER:

1. NATURAL SPRINGS: UNDERGROUND WATER HAS SO MUCH PRESSURE THAT THE WATER IS FORCED UPWARDS TO THE SURFACE.

2. MAN-MADE WELLS: HOLES MADE BY HUMANS TO HAVE ACCESS TO UNDERGROUND WATER.