Generalitat de Catalunya

Departament d’educació Biology and Geology 1st Second term

Institut Eduard Fontseré

First and last name:

Class group: Date: Qualification

Planet water

This workbook is yours.

● Underline the sections in the same dossier and do the exercises on it
whenever possible or on additional sheets (if not).

Your grade will be the average of the dossier and the exam.

● Water on Earth. Underline the section, do exercises 1 and 2 on page 28, and
4 and 5 on page 30.

​ here Did Earth's Water Come From?

W
● Properties of water. Underline the section and do exercise 12 on page 34
and 35, and exercise 16 on page 37.

​How Erosion by Water Shapes

● The water cycle. ​Underline the section and do exercise 18 on page 38,
exercises 19 and 20 on page 39 and exercise 23 on page 40.

​ he Water Cycle
T
● Water and living organisms. ​Underline the section and do exercise 24 on
page 41.
● Water and human activities. Underline the section and do exercises 28 and
29 on page 43, exercise 33 on page 46 and exercise 35 on page 46.

​How the Urban Water Cycle Works

 Explain

Water On Earth
When astronauts saw the Earth from space for the first time, they
called it the “Blue Planet” because of the vivid color of the water,
which covered most of the planet’s surface.

71% of the planet’s surface is covered by water. The remaining

29% makes up the land that is higher than sea level.

But water is not only present on the surface of our planet: it can also
be found within the Earth’s crust and in the atmosphere.
Depending on the conditions in which it finds itself, water can be in the
solid, liquid, or gaseous states.

The hydrosphere is the water component of the Earth, regard-

less of its state, location, or composition.

Animation Origin of Water on Earth

At present, the water on planet Earth is believed to have had two dif-
ferent origins: from a terrestrial source and from an extraterrestrial
Vapor source.

Some water rose to the surface from within the planet in the form
of vapor, as a result of intense volcanic activity inside the primitive
Earth.
Another contribution to today’s water came from outer space—
Gravity brought by the comets and asteroids that collided with the primi-
tive Earth.

Similar processes also took place on the other planets and satel-
lites of the solar system.
The origin of water on Earth.
Apart from in comets and asteroids, we know there is frozen water at
the poles of Mars and Mercury and water vapor in the atmosphere of
Venus. There are also indications that there exist large quantities of
liquid water under a thick layer of ice on Europa, a satellite of Jupiter.

16 science-bits.com
 The Earth Is Unique!
Although water is commonly found throughout the solar system, only
Earth has water in particular conditions.
Image
Liquid water is essential for sustain-
Earth is the only known planet to contain large amounts of liquid ing life.
water on its surface. Without this, life would have never come to
evolve in the way it has.

Earth’s distance from the Sun, and the characteristics of the Earth’s atmo-
sphere, allow its surface to be within the precise temperature range to
make it possible for large amounts of liquid water to exist.

Water Distribution on Earth

The total water in the hydrosphere would fill a cube with sides 1,100 km
long. Less than 3% of this is freshwater, and less than 1% is liquid fresh-
water. Let’s look at the distribution of water on Earth, its state, and its
composition.

Interactivity
TOTAL WATER
freshwater Total water in the hydro- INLAND AND
ATMOSPHERIC
sphere, regardless of its loca-
FRESHWATER
saline water
tion, state, or composition.
TOTAL WATER

FRESH WATER
inland and Water existing on the land surface and in the atmosphere.
1% atmospheric Found in three states: solid, liquid, and gaseous.
29% groundwater
Composition is variable, depending on location and state: it may
contain different minerals, gases, and dissolved or suspended pol-
70% ice lutants . It may also contain salt, though in much lower concen-
trations than in saline water.

INLAND AND ATMOSPHERIC

Includes water in the atmosphere and on the land surface.
2% rivers
Water is liquid and gaseous.
1% living beings
Its composition is highly variable. It is the water most used
77% lakes by humans, and its composition determines its end use.
10% atmosphere
soil moisture
1,100 km

science-bits.com 17
 Properties of Water
Gallery
Water plays a key role in many important biological and geological
processes:

Water is vital to living organisms.

Water is involved in regulating the Earth’s global climate.
Water plays a role in shaping the contours of the Earth’s crust.
Water is a unique substance. Among the properties that explain its cru-
cial role on our planet, these four are most significant:
1. Water is an outstanding solvent.
2. Water can only be heated and cooled with difficulty.
Earth’s large water masses moderate 3. Water can change its state within the conditions existing on Earth.
the climate of locations under their
influence. 4. Ice is less dense than water and floats on it.

A Universal Solvent
Video Pure liquid water is rare in nature, because water acts as an outstanding
solvent.
Water shapes the landscape.

Water is called a universal solvent, as it dissolves a large number

of solid, liquid, and gaseous substances.

Mineral salts, sugar, alcohol, and gases like oxygen and carbon diox-
ide are examples of substances that are soluble in water.

Thanks to this property, water in living organisms dissolves and trans-

ports nutrients, and is the medium in which the chemical reactions nec-
essary to sustain life occur.

Rocks are eroded by water that flows over the land and infiltrates into
Sugar
the Earth. While shaping the landscape, land waters incorporate dis-
solved substances of mineral origin, which are thus transported to the
oceans.

Hard to Heat It and Cool It

Not all substances can be heated or cooled equally easily.
Videos
Under the same conditions, it takes water much longer than most
other substances to heat up or cool down.

This property explains the role of water in regulating the climate, be-
cause it contributes to keeping temperatures stable, preventing sudden,
sharp changes.
Also, thanks to this property, water softens the effects of changes in
temperature on living organisms.

18 science-bits.com
Changes of State Videos
Within the range of temperatures
that occur on the Earth’s surface,
water can be found in its three
states: solid (ice), liquid, and gas- SOLID
MELTING REVERSE
eous (vapor). SUBLIMATION
Water may be heated or cooled
SOLIDIFICATION SUBLIMATION
naturally until a change of state
occurs.

LIQUID
These changes of state mean
that water can move repeat-
edly between the oceans, the CONDENSATION GAS
atmosphere, and the land.
VAPORIZATION

The Density of Ice

In general, solid state substances are denser than in their liquid state, but
water is a different case. Image
The ice sheets near the poles float on
The density of ice is lower than that of liquid water. That’s why ice the surface of the sea.
floats on liquid water.

So, when the temperature is below 0 °C, the surface of the water freezes
and acts as a thermal insulator that prevents the liquid water under from
freezing.
If ice didn’t float, the lakes and seas in cold regions would freeze com-
pletely, and the living organisms in them would all die.

The Water Cycle

The Earth’s hydrosphere is not static. Water undergoes changes: it heats up
and cools down, it changes state, travels, and mixes with many substances. Outline
These changes cause water to move repeatedly between the land, the One of the many paths that water
takes in the hydrosphere.
ocean, the atmosphere, and living organisms.

For example, when seawater evaporates, its molecules rise up to the at-
mosphere, condense into tiny droplets of water, and form clouds. When
these droplets are too large to remain suspended, they fall in the form of
rain or other precipitation onto the land. Then, this water seeps under-
ground or flows downhill until it reaches the sea.

The water cycle comprises all the changes of state, composition,

and location that water undergoes on Earth; these repeat them-
selves continuously.

science-bits.com 19
 Model of the Water Cycle
Interactivity These are the main processes involved in the water cycle.

CONDENSATION. Rising air currents carry the

vapor up into the atmosphere,where cooler tem-
peratures cause it to condense into tiny droplets.
These form clouds, which are also moved around
PRECIPITATION CONDENSATION the atmosphere by air currents. Under certain
conditions, water vapor can sublimate and form
clouds made up of tiny crystals.
EVAPORATION PRECIPITATION. The tiny cloud droplets group
CIRCULATION together, grow, and fall out of the sky when their
weight is too great. Due to gravity, these drop-
lets precipitate in the form of rain, snow, or hail,
TRANSPIRATION
depending on the atmospheric conditions of the
land area on which they fall.
INFILTRATION

CIRCULATION. Due to gravity, INFILTRATION. Due to gravity, EVAPORATION. The Sun heats TRANSPIRATION. 10% of the
precipitation that falls over land some water from precipitation the surface of the liquid wa- vapor in the atmosphere comes
moves back towards the oceans, infiltrates into the pores of rocks ter on land and in the oceans, from the transpiration of liv-
both as surface runoff that flows in the crust, dissolving many causing it to evaporate into the ing organisms, mainly plants.
on the surface and as groundwa- minerals, until a waterproof lay- atmosphere. The liquid water, Most of the groundwater that
ter seepage that flows through er is reached. Above this layer, whether freshwater or saline, these plants absorb through
underground aquifers. During the groundwater saturates the becomes water vapor: the par- their roots is carried through to
this process, the water from pre- pores, cracks, and spaces be- ticles on the surface of the wa- their leaves and released into
cipitation—which is relatively tween the rock particles, and an ter rise into the atmosphere and the atmosphere as vapor.
pure—becomes rich in all sorts aquifer is formed. The erosive mix with the air, whereas the
of substances it dissolves or picks nature of water may give rise to dissolved substances remain in
up in its course. the formation of caves. the body of liquid water and do
not evaporate.

What Moves the Water Cycle?

Outline The movement of water on the Earth’s surface and through the
atmosphere is caused mainly by the Sun and by gravity.
The Sun and gravity keep the water
cycle going.
The Sun powers the cycle, supplying the energy that allows water to
overcome the law of gravity. When liquid water is heated, it evaporates
and travels up through the atmosphere, eventually cooling again and
condensing back into liquid water in the clouds.
Gravity causes the downward motions of water in the cycle: it causes
GRAVITY
THE SUN the water in the clouds to fall in the form of rain, snow, sleet, and hail
and, once on the land, to seep into aquifers or to flow down water-
courses into the ocean.

20 science-bits.com
Water and Living Organisms
Outline
The availability of water is vital to living organisms. In places where ac-
cess to water is difficult, the living organisms there have adapted to use Water content of different living
it in an efficient way. organisms.

human carrot pine tree

All living organisms are mostly made up of water.

Between 60 and 70% of the mass of a living organism 50%

is water. 65%
87%
These are the main roles of water in living organisms:
Medium for chemical reactions 98%
Transport of substances
Regulation of temperature 70% 83%
Medium for living organisms
bacterium earthworm jellyfish

Water and Human Activities

Outline
We humans need freshwater to live. But we do not use it only for drink-
ing purposes: many of the activities in human societies involve the use Human activities give rise to an artifi-
of freshwater. cial water cycle.
We use freshwater for personal hygiene, to irrigate crops and to pro-
vide water for livestock, in industrial processes, and for ornamental
or recreational uses, as in fountains and swimming pools.
NATURAL
These activities require collecting water from nature and also treating WATER CYCLE
water depending on the end use. The different uses that water is put to
alter its composition and give rise to waste waters. These waters then
need to be purified before being recirculated back into the natural envi-
ronment. All these processes make up their own cycle within the water COLLECTION WASTE WATER
TREATMENT
cycle. We call it the human or artificial water cycle.
ARTIFICIAL
WATER CYCLE
Human activities disrupt the natural cycle of water, and it is our
TREATMENT USE
responsibility to monitor its impact sensibly.

Collecting Water from the Natural Cycle

Videos
Freshwater is a scarce resource: it makes up less than 1% of the
total water available in the hydrosphere.

Also, freshwater is unevenly distributed across the land: water is abun-

dant in some wet zones, whereas obtaining freshwater in dry zones is
a great challenge. RESERVOIRS WATER TANKS
We humans have developed ways to obtain freshwater that are adapted
to environmental conditions and which relate to different stages of the
water cycle: rivers, rain, and aquifers.
We have also developed systems to transform water from the oceans DESALINATION
into freshwater. WELLS PLANTS

science-bits.com 21
 Preparing Water for Use
The water available in the natural environment contains various dis-
solved and suspended substances.
Water containing sand and organic remains can be used to water the gar-
den, but cannot be used for drinking, washing, or cleaning.

Animation Depending on its intended use, water must be treated to remove

some of the substances it contains.
Potabilization of water.

For water to be fit for drinking, it must be subjected to potabilization. Undesirable substances, such as
suspended particles, disease-causing microorganisms, and toxic substances, are eliminated through
this process.

1. Collection 2. Physical Treatment: 3. Physical Treatment: 4. Chemical Treatment:

Roughing Sedimentation Flocculation

5. Decantation 6. Sand Filtration and 7. Disinfection 8. Storage and Distribution

Filtration with Activated
Carbon Filters

Drinking water or potable water is water fit for consumption,

free of waterborne diseases.

Water is potable when it contains the right amount of dissolved mineral salts.
Interactivity

Using Water
Water use in Water use in
nonindustrialized countries industrialized countries Human societies use water for several activi-
domestic use domestic use ties. Depending on the purpose, these activi-
industrial use ties can be broadly grouped into urban, in-
8% 11% dustrial, and agricultural uses.
agricultural
10% use In general, rich, industrialized countries use
30% more water on account of their industrial ac-
agricultural industrial tivities.
use use
82% 59% The use of water in these three sectors
will depend on each country’s social
and economic situation.

22 science-bits.com
Returning Water to the Natural Cycle
In its different uses, water becomes mixed with contaminants that are Gallery
harmful to living beings. These contaminants include:

Microorganisms causing diseases, such as cholera.

Organic waste, such as food debris and leftovers.

Detergents, soaps, and other cleaning products.

Manure and fertilizer.

Some domestic uses produce waters
Toxic substances, including heavy metals, pesticides, oil-based contaminated with soaps and deter-
gents.
products, etc.

Waste water is water that has been used and needs to be treated
before being returned to the environment.

Waste waters must be subjected to treatment before being returned to eco-

systems to eliminate the contaminants that are harmful to living beings.
However, and as a rule of thumb, waste water treatment does not pro- Waste water plant.
duce drinking water.

Saving Water
The freshwater that we humans can use is a very scarce resource. In-
deed, in many places on Earth, freshwater is hard to come by.

For humans to be able to carry on with our activities while preserv-

ing the natural environment as we know it, we must manage water
rationally and responsibly.

These are some of the basic measures that must be taken:

Reduce water use. Our domestic activities can be adapted to improve

the efficiency of urban, agricultural, and industrial uses. The idea is to
reduce water use and to avoid wasting water and incurring undesir-
able expense.

Recycle water. Waste water that has been properly treated can be
used for some specific activities before being returned to the environ-
ment. For example, urban waste waters can be reused to irrigate parks
and gardens.

Prevent contamination. We need to avoid the accumulation of con-

taminants (fertilizers, pesticides, organic waste, etc.) that might circu-
late and seep into rivers, lakes, or aquifers—contaminating our fresh-
water supplies.

science-bits.com 23
 EXERCISES
Water On Earth

1. About the Hydrosphere

Indicate whether each of the following statements
about the hydrosphere is true or false.
LAND
The hydrosphere is the surface of our planet 29%
covered by water in the liquid state.
WATER The percentages of
Water covers 71% of the Earth’s surface, and 71% terrestrial surface
this is why we can be sure that it is the most
covered by water
abundant substance on Earth. and by land.
Living organisms contain a large amount of
water—but this is not part of the hydrosphere. Water vapor is a gas, and as such, it is part of
the atmosphere and not of the hydrosphere.
The perennial snows on the peaks of some
mountains and in the polar regions are parts of When we talk about the water in the hydro-
the hydrosphere. sphere, we are referring only to pure water.

Origin of Water on Earth

2. About the Origin of the Hydrosphere

Indicate whether each of the following statements
about the origin of the hydrosphere is true or false.

All water on Earth is of extraterrestrial origin.

The cooling of the Earth’s surface brought
about the condensation of the water vapor in
the atmosphere.
The pull of gravity prevented water vapor and
many other gases from escaping the Earth..
The Earth is 4.5 · 106 years old.
The formation of the atmosphere is unrelated
to the formation of the hydrosphere.
Some of the meteorites that collided with the
primitive Earth contained water.
The water released from volcanic action filled
the basins of the Earth’s surface. Simulation of the formation of the seas and oceans on
Earth.

The Earth Is Unique!

3. Water on Mercury
Carefully read the text and then answer the questions.

Surprise! There’s Ice On Mercury!

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Indeed, it is Despite this, the NASA Messenger probe has
three times closer to the Sun than the Earth. That’s provided clear evidence of the existence of large
why temperatures there are extremely high—as amounts of ice on the planet, hidden inside deep
much as 450 degrees Celsius. and shadowed craters at the North Pole.

28 science-bits.com
 EXERCISES
Three studies published today in Science re- For decades, researchers have been considering the
veal the details of this amazing and incredible idea that there might be water under layers of ice
discovery, which seems to defy all logic. Yet the there. But until now, this has only been a theory.
conclusions presented are overwhelming: there is
What scientists are wondering today is whether
abundant water on Mercury preserved as ice.
some isolated regions on Mercury also have water
Because of its closeness to the Sun, Mercury would in the liquid state.
appear to be the least likely of all the planets in the
Solar System to have water. However, due to an
Adapted from José Manuel Nieves, “Surprise!
axial tilt of less than one degree, some regions at
There are Ice and Organic Compounds on Mer-
the poles are never exposed to the Sun.
cury,” [in Spanish], ABC, December 1, 2012
In those areas, the temperature plummets to
185 degrees Celsius below zero.

a. Why does the author say that the discovery of ice

on Mercury is an astonishing fact that seems to defy
all reason?
q Because Mercury does not have an atmo-
sphere that could control the temperature of
its surface, thus making it possible for cold to
be retained on the entire planet.
q Because Mercury’s axis of rotation relative
to the Sun allows for heat to reach its polar
regions.
q Because Mercury is so close to the Sun that
the temperature there should be too high for
the planet to have ice.
Polar and equatorial regions on Mercury.
b. Where exactly is the ice on Mercury?
q In regions not exposed to sunlight: in deep
craters near the planet’s equator.
q In regions not exposed to sunlight: in deep
craters at the poles.

c. Why is this location the only place on Mercury

where ice can be found?
q Because the temperature there is between
0 °C and 100 °C.
q Because the temperature there is above
100 °C.
q Because the temperature there is below 0 °C.

d. In principle, if there were water on Mercury, we False-color image of Mercury highlighting differences in
would have expected to find it in the [solid / liquid / the composition of its rocks.
gaseous] state.
q Between 50 °C and 185 °C
e. Which of the temperature ranges below would f. What range of temperatures occurs on Mercury?
be required for liquid water to be found in a region
of Mercury? q Between –185 °C and 450 °C
q Between 0 °C and 100 °C q Between –450 °C and –185 °C
q Between −20 °C and 80 °C q Between 450 °C and 185 °C

science-bits.com 29
 EXERCISES
Water Distribution on Earth

4. Water in Three States

Classify each of the images of water below, according to the state it is in: solid (S), liquid (L), or gaseous (G).

a. q S q L q G b. q S q L q G c. q S q L q G

d. q S q L q G e. q S q L q G f. q S q L q G

5. Different Compositions
Place these images of liquid water in order, from the one containing the greatest quantity of dissolved
substances to the one containing the least.

A. Sea B. River C. Cloud

6. Ordering Volumes of Water

Put the following locations of the hydrosphere
into order, from the one containing the greatest
volume of water to the one containing the least.
Living organisms
Rivers
Atmosphere and soil mositure
Lakes
Groundwater
Ice
Seas and oceans

30 science-bits.com
 EXERCISES
7. Playing Around with Percentages About ..........% of the hydrosphere is groundwater.
Only 3% of the water on Earth is not saline. Then,
about 70% of that small percentage is ice and c. What percentage of total water on Earth do
about 29% is groundwater. inland and atmospheric fresh water make up?

a. What percentage of the total water on Earth is in Express this percentage correct to two deci-
the form of ice? mal places.

Give the percentage correct to one decimal ...........% of the hydrosphere

place. d. Suppose that all the water on Earth was held in a
About 1% of the hydrosphere is in the form of ice. container of 5 L.

b. What percentage of the total water on Earth is Saline water: ........... mL

groundwater? Inland and atmospheric waters: ........... mL
Give the percentage correct to two decimal If necessary, give your result correct to one
places. decimal place.

inland and
1% atmospheric
freshwater
29% groundwater
saline water
70% ice

Volumes of the three main types of fresh water, as a percentage of the total amount of fresh water on Earth.

.
8. The Hydrosphere, in Swimming Pools
How Much Water Is There in the Hydrosphere? Olympic-Size Swimming Pools
The total volume of water on Earth is An Olympic-size swimming pool is 50 meters in
1,386,000,000 km3. length, 25 meters in width, and an average of
a. Write an equivalent way of expressing this 2 meters in depth.
volume in km3, using scientific notation. a. Calculate the volume of an Olympic-size swim-
ming pool in m3.
b. How many m3 are in 1 km3?

c. Choose the correct option to express this vol- b. Express this volume in scientific notation.
ume in m3.
c. How many Olympic-size swimming pools could
we fill with all the water in the hydrosphere?
q Around 550 billion: 5,544 · 1011 Olympic-size
swimming pools.
q Around 550 million: 5,544 · 108 Olympic-size
swimming pools.
q Around 550 thousand: 5,544 · 105 Olympic-size
swimming pools.
q Around 550 trillion: 5,544 · 1014 Olympic-size
swimming pools.

science-bits.com 31
 EXERCISES
9. Percentage of Accessible Water
Properties of Water
Rivers and lakes are, together with a very small
amount of groundwater, the main sources of fresh-
water for humans. 10. Decomposing Water
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, sci-
entists discovered that, with the aid of electricity,
2% rivers water could be broken down into two different
1% living beings gaseous substances: hydrogen and oxygen.
77% lakes The electrolysis of water is a chemical process
in which water is broken down into oxygen and
10% atmosphere hydrogen by means of an electrical current.
soil
10% moisture

Distribution of inland and atmospheric freshwater on Earth.

a. What percentage of water do rivers and lakes

take from the total amount of inland and atmo-
spheric freshwater?

b. Only 0.03% of the total freshwater on the planet

is considered inland and atmospheric.
What percentage of water do rivers and lakes take
from the total amount of water in the hydrosphere? a. What conclusions can be drawn from the fact
that water can be broken down into hydrogen and
c. Research indicates that, in fact, only 0.007% of oxygen?
the total amount of water in the hydrosphere can
q Water is a compound substance.
be directly used by humans.
q Water is not a pure substance.
Which of the following statements are equivalent to
this fact? q Water is a pure elemental substance.
q Only 7 L out of every 100 L of water on Earth is b. The video in the digital version demonstrates the
available to us. electrolysis of water.
q Only 0.007 L out of every 100 L of water on Describe what happens at the tips of the two pins
Earth is available to us. immersed in the water.
q Only 7 mL out of every 100,000 mL of water c. What relationship is there between the volumes of
on Earth is available to us. hydrogen and oxygen formed?
q Only 7 mL out of every 100 L of water on Earth
is available to us.
WATER

OXYGEN GAS

HYDROGEN GAS

Atomic model of water electrolysis.

32 science-bits.com
 EXERCISES
A Universal Solvent

11. Water Tasting

Read this text carefully and answer the questions that follow it.

The Water Taster

The water tasting begins. Doctor Benito Oliver-
Rodés takes the first glass of water, and speaks
with caution: “Having an opinion on water is very
difficult. For example, the characteristics of wine
are determined by the smell. Then you can say a
lot of things about wine. In contrast, water is odor-
less—it only has taste. In the water I am tasting
now, there is a predominance of bicarbonate and
calcium. There seems to be little sodium. Bicarbon-
ate makes urine alkaline and increases the gastric
pH. Calcium is essential for the normal activity
of the nervous system and for the formation of
bones, especially in kids.”
amount of dissolved salts marketed in Mexico.
The doctor is ready for the second glass of wa-
Such water is recommended to help promote
ter. Things get a bit more difficult here. Silence.
digestion.”
“There is also a predominance of bicarbonate and
calcium in this water, but in smaller amounts. It is Tap or bottled water? The taste of bottled water,
smoother than the previous one, which means it which originates in springs, is different from that
contains less dissolved salts. This water is ideal for of tap water, which mostly comes from wells,
drinking with meals, but would be more appealing rivers, or reservoirs. “Tap water lacks a constant
if it was served colder.” His description is correct. composition. Most large cities have various water
“This type of water, with low mineralization, is suit- collection points, and this causes the end mixture
able for making baby formula, tea, and coffee.” not to be uniform. This is why at times tap water
tastes better than at others.”
The third glass brings relief. Anyone could guess
what is hidden behind the thick walls of the tum- Adapted from Ana Pantaleoni, “The Water Taster,”
bler: “Even the smell reveals the presence of gas. [in Spanish], El Pais, December 10, 2006
This is one of the mineral waters with the highest

a. Having read the text, do you think we can say that d. In some couintries, the label on a bottle of min-
water is tasteless? eral water shows a list of the substances or mineral
salts dissolved in the water.
b. What is it that makes water taste one way or
another? Write down the name of some other mineral salts
found in bottled mineral water.
c. What substances does Doctor Oliver-Rodés iden-
tify in the waters he tastes? e. Rainwater infiltrates into rocks through their pores.
Over the course of its journey, rainwater becomes
mineral water, and emerges again from below the
surface via springs or wells.
How does the composition of the water change as it
travels through the cracks and fissures of the rocks?

science-bits.com 33
 EXERCISES
f. How can you explain the differences in the
composition of mineral waters from two different
sources?

g. The expert in the article states that, unlike

bottled mineral waters, tap water does not have a
constant composition.
What does he mean by this?
q In contrast with bottled mineral waters, tap
water does not contain any dissolved sub-
stances.
q There are more salts or dissolved substances in
tap water than in bottled water.
q The amounts of the different substances
dissolved in tap water can vary greatly. This,
however, is not the case with bottled mineral
water.

Hard to Heat It and Cool It

12. Changes of Temperature vs. Time Graphs

Heating
This graph shows the change in temperature that
two samples undergo when heated by a heat source sand
for a period of 10 minutes: a sample of 200 grams of
sand and a sample of 200 grams of water.
Temperature (° C)

The points on the graph correspond to the mea-

surements of temperature, which were carried out
every two minutes.

a. Carefully observe the graph and fill in the tables

with the data provided. water

Time (min) 0 2 4 6 8 10
T water (° C) ... ... ... ... ... ...
T sand (° C) ... ... ... ... ... ...
Time (min)
b. What is the resulting change in temperature of the The changes in temperature of 200 g of water and 200 g of
samples of water and sand after a period of sand.
10 minutes?
Temperature of the water [increased by / de- c. Which of the two substances changes its tempera-
creased by] .......... °C. ture the fastest?
Temperature of the sand [increased by / de- q There is no difference
creased by] .......... °C. q Water
q Sand

34 science-bits.com
 EXERCISES
Cooling
This graph shows the changes in temperature
of two samples which, having reached the same
temperature, are left to stand and cool at room water
temperature for a period of 5 minutes. One of the
samples consists of 200 grams of sand, and the

Temperature (° C)
other of 200 grams of water.
The points on the graph correspond to the mea-
surements of temperature, which were carried out
every two minutes.

a. Carefully examine the graph and fill in the tables

with the data provided. sand

Time (min) 0 1 2 3 4 5
T water (° C) ... ... ... ... ... ...
T sand (° C) ... ... ... ... ... ... Time (min)

Cooling 200 g of water and 200 g of sand.

b. What is the resulting change in the temperature of
the water and sand samples after a period of
c. Which of the two substances changes its tempera-
5 minutes?
ture the fastest?
Temperature of the water [increased by / de-
q There is no difference
creased by] .......... °C.
q Water
Temperature of the sand [increased by / de-
creased by] .......... °C. q Sand

13. A Pan on the Heat

One of the most common uses of water in the
kitchen is for boiling—usually as a step in prepar-
ing food. We fill a metallic pan with water and put
it on the heat.
Complete each of the following sentences with
the correct option.

a. Shortly after putting it on the heat…

q both the metallic pan and the water are at
the same temperature, because they are in
contact with one another.
q the metallic pan is much hotter than the
water.
q the metallic pan is colder than the water.

b. When we turn off the heat… c. When the water starts boiling…
q if we remove the water from the pan, the pan q the metallic pan is cold while the water boils.
cools faster than if we didn’t. q the pan and the water are both hot, although
q if we remove the water from the pan, the pan at different temperatures.
cools more slowly than if we didn’t. q the pan and the water are hot: they are at the
q whether we remove the water from the metal- same temperature because they are in contact
lic pan or not, the pan will cool at the same with one another.
speed.

science-bits.com 35
 EXERCISES
Changes of State

14. About the Changes of State of Water

Indicate whether each of the statements below
about the changes of state of water is true or false.
The precipitation of water from the clouds in the
form of rain is a process of change of state.
To pass from the gaseous state to the liquid
state, water must always pass through the liquid
state.
For water to vaporize, it must reach a tempera-
ture of approximately 100 °C.
River flow is a change of state process.
The clouds formed in the cooler layers of the
atmosphere contain water in the solid state.
The water on the surface of oceans evaporates
upon heating.
The formation of clouds in the atmosphere is a
process of change of state.

15. Quick Evaporation

Moist Clothes
Some friends went swimming. After a while, they
came out of the pool and wrapped their towels
around them. Some dried the towels by spreading
them out in the sun, while others threw them in a
pile on the ground.
a. Which will evaporate quicker, the water in the
wet towel on the ground or the water in the towel
left in the pile?
q The water in the spread out towel
q The water in the piled-up towel

b. Why?

Plates and Glasses

John has just finished washing the dishes after din-
ner. He wants to do a simple experiment. He leaves
a soup bowl filled with water on the windowsill
along with a tall glass filled with the same amount
of water.
a. In which container will the water evaporate the
quickest?
q In the soup bowl
q In the tall glass
Explain this result.

36 science-bits.com
 EXERCISES
The Density of Ice

16. Frozen Lake

a. Describe what occurs in the video in the digital
version.

b. How can fish survive in a frozen lake?

q Because some fish can live in the freezing
conditions of water.
q Because the temperature is higher than 0 °C
under the ice cover.
q Because the temperature is lower than 0 °C
under the ice cover.
q Because there is also water in the liquid state.

c. Any substance is denser in the solid state than in

the liquid state. But the story is different with water.
The density of water begins to decrease below 4°C,
and so the density of ice is lower than the density of
liquid water. That’s why ice floats.
State whether these statements about what occurs
when the temperature decreases are true or false.
The ice layer allows the water below it to change
to the solid state.
The water begins to freeze from the top of the
surface of the lake down to the bottom.
The ice layer works as a “thermal insulator,” as if it
were a protective barrier against cold air.
The surface water freezes, preventing the water A lake with a frozen surface.
below it from freezing.

d. What would happen to living things under the

frozen surface of the lake if ice did not float?

Life under the ice.

science-bits.com 37
 EXERCISES
17. Everyday Uses and Properties of Water
Classify each of the following images according to the property they refer to.
[Great solvent / Hard to heat and cool /
Changes of state / Ice is less dense than liquid water]

a. Mineral water b. Water to cool down c. Mirror and steam d. Boiling water

e. Tea and sugar f. Sea colder than sand g. Drink with ice cubes

Model of the Water Cycle

18. The Paths of Water

Water on Earth continually changes its location,
state, and composition as part of a cycle.
a. Put the stages below in order, to describe one of
the many paths followed by the water cycle.
Raindrops fall on the ocean.
A. The Sun heats the liquid water, which evapo-
rates.
B. The water condenses and forms clouds.
C. The snow falls on mountain peaks.
D. The Sun melts the snow.
E. The water flows overland and runs into a lake.

b. Now put these stages in order, to describe a dif-

ferent path followed by the water cycle.
Raindrops fall on the land.
A. The water infiltrates and moistens the ground.
B. A plant absorbs water through its roots.
C. The water absorbed by the plant transpires in
the form of vapor through the plant’s leaves.
D. The water condenses and forms clouds.
E. Raindrops fall on the ocean.

38 science-bits.com
 EXERCISES
19. From One Place to Another
Indicate the process by which water travels between these locations:
[condensation / precipitation / overland flow / transpiration
evaporation / inflitration / groundwater flow / melting]

a. Cloud  Ocean: ........... f. Land surface  Aquifer: ...........

b. River  Ocean: ........... g. Aquifer  Spring: ...........
c. Tree  Air: ........... h. River  Lake: ...........
d. Lake  Air: ........... i. Ocean  Air: ...........
e. Air  Cloud: ........... j. Snowfield  River: ...........

20. About the Processes of the Water Cycle

Indicate whether each of the following statements
is true or false:
Clouds are formed through a process called
precipitation.
Precipitation always takes place over land.
Evaporation only affects the water in oceans
and seas.
River water does not contain dissolved mineral
salts.
Water dissolves minerals as it seeps into the
pores of permeable rocks.
Land plants absorb moisture from the soil and
release it into the atmosphere as vapor.

21. Salt Content

In nature, water mixes with various substances of mineral origin, which we call mineral salts. Indicate whether
the salt content in water increases, decreases, or does not vary in each of the cases below.
[clearly increases / remains almost invariable / clearly decreases]

Compared with the liquid water in oceans and

inland, the amount of salts the water in the
atmosphere contains ........... .
During the process of precipitation, the con-
tent of mineral salts in rainfall ........... as it falls
through the atmosphere.
The content of mineral salts in snow melt flow-
ing overland ........... .
The content of mineral salts dissolved in
groundwater ........... during seepage and flow
underground.
The content of mineral salts dissolved in river
water ........... as it flows downstream.

science-bits.com 39
 EXERCISES
22. Tropical Rainforests
Rainforests are dense forests made up of tall trees
whose tops sit at different heights, creating a thick,
continuous layer. Although rainforests cover only 7%
of all land surface on Earth, these forests host more
than half of the species living on the planet.
Temperatures in these rainforests range between
20 and 34°C, and air humidity is always high. The
total precipitation over one year is usually more
than 2,500 liters per square meter, which is about
four times the yearly amount of rainfall in London.
Complete the text below with the appropriate
Tropical rainforests are dense forests commonly found in
concepts.
warm and rainy places.

In rainforests—unlike in regions with a shortage

of plant life—most of the rainfall that ........... the
ground is quickly absorbed by tree roots. This way,
groundwater rises to the atmosphere in the form of
..........., through a process called .......... .
Some studies estimate that 75% of the air humidity
in these forests comes from plants, with the remain-
ing 25% resulting from the ............ of rainfall that is
not absorbed by plants.
The ......... of air humidity into tiny droplets causes
the formation of clouds, that will eventually precipi-
tate in the form of rain.
Air humidity in tropical forests is high.

What Moves the Water Cycle?

23. The Sun and Gravity

Indicate whether each of the statements below is
true or false.
If the Sun suddenly ceased to exist, the water
cycle would continue its course—as happens
at nighttime.
If there was no gravity, the water cycle would
still exist.
Water evaporation is directly related to the
force of gravity.
The pull of gravity prevents water vapor from
escaping into space.
The Sun is responsible for the upward move-
Gravity causes liquid water to flow over land. ments of water in nature.
The Sun is responsible for the fact that most The pull of gravity causes the precipitation of
water on Earth is in the liquid state. the water in the clouds.

40 science-bits.com
 EXERCISES
Water and Living Organisms

24. About Water and Life

One of the properties that define water is its ability
to dissolve many substances.
Indicate which of the following functions of water in
living organisms are directly related to this property:
q Water balances out changes in temperature.
q Water is a suitable environment for many liv-
ing organisms, which find the nutrients they
need in it.
q Water transports nutrients and substances
between the different parts of an organism.
q Water is the medium in which the chemical
reactions necessary for life take place.

Collecting Water from the Natural Cycle

25. A Strategy for Each Place

Indicate which of the water collection systems seen
in this unit best fits the conditions in each of the
following places.
[Desalination plant / Tank / Well / Dam]

A coastal region, with dry climate and shallow

rivers. [ ........... ]
A narrow valley in which there is a river with
abundant flow. [ ........... ]
A desert region, with almost no precipitation
throughout the year.[ ........... ]
An agricultural region in a rainy location. [ ........... ]

26. Aquifers in Africa

Read this text carefully and answer the questions that follow it.

An Ocean under the Sands of Africa

On the surface, 330 million thirsty Africans (40% of It means having to walk for miles every day car-
African population). Beneath the surface, 660,000 rying plastic containers. It means getting sick if
cubic kilometers of water—one hundred times the the water has not been boiled before drinking. It
amount of water that exists on the surface of this means enslaving girls and adult women, as the
continent. Can these resources be exploited? How? tasks of retrieving and boiling the water falls on
What about drilling small wells in the villages? them. If the water source is too far way, the girl
won’t make it to school in time. If the girl’s mother
To measure the extent of the problem of water
has to go and collect it, she won’t be working and
scarcity, it suffices to travel around the continent:
generating income.
there’s more to this than just a lack of faucets.

science-bits.com 41
 EXERCISES
Those areas with relatively shallow aquifers (less home-dug wells, to allow for local development.
than 20 meters deep) could be equipped with If manual pumps are used, the risk of aquifers
manual pumping systems, provided that there is drying out in the most populated regions of Africa
sufficient investment and time to prospect. decreases; if, instead, large quantities of water
are pumped out from drilled wells for irrigation
But aquifers need to be individually analyzed in
purposes, then the risk of exhausting this resource
order to see whether they are renewable. Many
is high.
contain “fossil waters” that have been stored for
millions of years. If these aquifers are exploited, Adapted from J. M. Calatayud, E. de Benito, “An
they will not fill up again. That’s why experts are Ocean Under the Sands of Africa,” [in Spanish], El
advocating for small communities developing País, July 29, 2012

a. What are the two main problems faced by the

African population with no direct access to water?

b. What water could be used to solve this shortage?

c. What way of obtaining this water is suggested in

this article?

d. What is the role of pumping systems?

e. What risks are associated with overuse of these

natural water resources?

27. Aquifers and Wells

Indicate whether each of the statements below
about aquifers and wells is true or false.
There is plenty of water anywhere under the sur-
face of the Earth. This is why drilling wells makes
sense.

When the volume of water extracted from a

well is lower than the volume of water used to
replenish it, the aquifer may end up becoming
exhausted.

Aquifers are underground layers of water that

are filled with water that infiltrates through
permeable areas. Manual water pumping system.
Wells are water pumping systems for aquifers.
When a well dries up, the groundwater level
(the level at which the water sits) has retreated
to below the depth of the well.

42 science-bits.com
 EXERCISES
Preparing Water for Use

28. Preparing Water for Use

Select the pollutant that is separated from the water
during each of the following stages of potabilization.
[Microorganisms / Very small particles / Suspended
particles / Sludge / Large solids and sand ]

Roughing  ...........
Sedimentation  ...........
Chemical treatment and decantation  ...........
Sand filtration and filtration with activated
carbon filters  ...........
Disinfection  ..........
Potabilization plant on Lake Michigan.

29. One Type of Water for Every Use

a. Indicate, for each type of water, whether it is safe
for drinking, cooking with, and domestic hygiene.
Graywater—that is, water from uses such as
dishwashers or washing machines.
Seawater.
Rainwater stored in a water tank.
Water from a river or a dam.
Bottled mineral water.
Water from a potabilization plant.

b. Why is it not advisable to use the types of water

you identified as unsafe for drinking, cooking, or
domestic hygiene?

c. Which of these nonpotable waters could be used Water is supplied to our homes after treatment.
for irrigation?
q Graywater.
q Seawater.
q Rainwater stored in a tank.
q Water from a potabilization plant.

d. Justify why each of the types of water from the

previous section is not safe.

e. What uses could we make of these types of water?

Look up information if necessary.

science-bits.com 43
 EXERCISES
Using Water

30. Domestic Uses of Water

2% watering plants
a. This graph shows the amount of water used for
domestic purposes—that is, water for use in the household cleaning 4%
home. showering and
washing clothes 20% bathing
Indicate whether each of the following uses re-
20%
quires potable water or not.
Watering plants
10% toilet
Household cleaning
Showering and bathing 5%
drinking and cooking
Toilet 30% 9%
flushing the toilet
cleaning the dishes
Drinking and cooking
Cleaning the dishes
Washing clothes Percentage of domestic water for each particular use.

Flushing the toilet

b. Some studies indicate that each person uses an

average of 150 liters of domestic water per day. From
this piece of data, calculate the volume of water that
corresponds to each use, according to the graph.
Watering plants: ......... L / day
Household cleaning: ......... L / day
Showering and bathing: ......... L / day
Toilet: ......... L / day
Drinking and cooking: ......... L / day
Cleaning the dishes: ......... L / day
Washing clothes: ......... L / day
Flushing the toilet: ......... L / day

c. Using this average of 150 liters of domestic water

use per person per day, calculate the volume used
over the course of a year by a family of four. d. How many years’ use would be needed to fill an
Olympic swimming pool of 2,500 m3?
A family of four uses a yearly average of .......... L of
domestic water. Give your result correct to one decimal place.

31. Types of Water Use

Classify the uses of water below according to
whether they are domestic, agricultural, or industrial.
Showering: .......... . Manufacturing bleach: .......... .
Feeding livestock: .......... . Cooking school meals: .......... .
Watering gardens and parks: .......... . Irrigating a maize plantation: .......... .
Cooling the reactor in nuclear plants: .......... . Maintaining a swimming pool: .......... .

44 science-bits.com
 EXERCISES
32. The Water Footprint of a Product a. One kilogram of tomatoes contains 0.94 liters of
Read this text and answer the questions that follow it. water.
The Water Footprint How can 214 liters of water be possibly used in
We humans make direct use of a large amount of producing a kilogram of tomatoes?
water for drinking, cooking, washing, and person-
al hygiene. But we use even more water indirectly, Explain what the remaining 213 liters of water
as in the case of the manufacturing of food, paper, are used for.
cotton garments, etc. b. How can you explain the fact that, in general, the
The water footprint of an object or service refers to water footprint for the production of beef is much
the amount of water needed to manufacture or higher than the water footprint for the production
provide that object or service, counting both direct of vegetables?
and indirect uses.
c. Look up information on www.waterfootprint.org
The water footprint of a product is measured as and match each product to its water footprint.
the volume of freshwater used to manufacture a
product, counting all the volumes of water used [10,412 / 1,222 / 9,980 / 2,497 / 287 / 822]
and contaminated at the different stages of the Beef: ......... L/kg
supply chain.
Maize: ......... L/kg
Some facts and figures:
Cotton: ......... L/kg
The production of one kilogram of beef has a water
footprint of 16,000 liters. Rice: ......... L/kg

One kilogram of tomatoes has a water footprint Potato: ......... L/kg

of 214 liters. Apple: ......... L/kg
The water footprint of a cotton T-shirt is d. How can you explain the fact that there is such
2,500 liters. a huge variation between the water footprints of
Adapted from www.waterfootprint.org fruits and vegetables?

science-bits.com 45
 EXERCISES
Returning Water to the Natural Cycle

33. Different Uses, Different Contaminants

Fill in the table and mark the contaminants that the different types of water produce.

Main contaminants of waste waters Domestic Industrial Agricultural

waste water waste water waste water
Microorganisms: bacteria and disease-related viruses q Yes q No q Yes q No q Yes q No
Organic matter q Yes q No q Yes q No q Yes q No
Detergents and soups q Yes q No q Yes q No q Yes q No
Manures and fertilizers q Yes q No q Yes q No q Yes q No
Toxic metals: lead, cadmium, mercury, zinc, etc. q Yes q No q Yes q No q Yes q No
Toxic chemical products: acids, chlorinated derivatives, pesticides, etc. q Yes q No q Yes q No q Yes q No
Oil and derivatives q Yes q No q Yes q No q Yes q No

34. About Waste Water Treatment

Indicate whether each of the statements below is
true or false.
Thanks to waste water treatment, the resulting
effluent waters can be discharged into rivers,
lakes, or seas, highly reducing their environ-
mental impact.
The waste water is transformed into potable
water in waste water treatment plants.
All waste waters contain the same contaminants.
Disease-causing microorganisms are not con-
sidered contaminants.
Thanks to waste water treatment, the resulting
effluent waters can be discharged into rivers,
lakes, or seas, highly reducing their environ-
mental impact.

Saving Water

35. Efficient Use of Domestic Water

Indicate the effect of each of the following tips for saving domestic water:

[Reduces water use / Reuses water

Prevents contamination] Use cleaning products free of toxic or harmful
substances.
Water plants at dawn or dusk to reduce the While the water from the shower is heating up,
amount of water that evaporates before the plant collect it in a bucket.
absorbs it.
Do not pour used oil down the sink.
Fix leaks in pipes and faucets.
Channel the washing machine and dishwasher
Flush the toilet using the half-flush option. waters back into the toilet cistern
Turn the tap off when washing your hands, etc. Put plants outdoors on rainy days.

46 science-bits.com
 EXERCISES
36. Healthy Teeth and Water-Efficient Use
It is estimated that, whenever we run the tap in the
bathroom, 200 mL of water goes unused down the
drain every second.
To take good care of our dental health, we should
brush our teeth at least three times per day, and
each brushing should take two minutes.

a. How much water is wasted each time we brush

our teeth without turning off the tap? Give your
answer in liters.

b. Calculate the amount of water you would save

each day by turning off the tap when brushing
your teeth. Give your answer in liters.

c. Calculate the volume of water saved each day if a

family of four employs this good practice. Give your
answer in liters.

science-bits.com 47