SF CARIN AND TIS RESOURCES The planet Earth is made up of land and water on its surface. It is es by g thick Layer of gases, called the atmosphere, which helps sustain life on our plan: The lower part of the atmosphere, nearer to land and water is called air. Water covers around 71% of the Earth's surface, with continents and islands making for the remaining 29%, The seas hold 96.5 percent of all Earth's water as saltwater, with the remaining 3.5 Percent made up of freshwater and frozen water locked up in glaciers and polar ice caps. Most of the freshwater exists in the form of ice. Where does water come from? Water is all around us. tis essential for all life and Lack of water means an end Of life for all living things. Do you know where it comes from? If you said oceans and rivers, then you are right. But how does it get into the oceans and rivers? !f you said from the sky, then you are right. But how does it get into the sky? (a the sea, or frozen, as a glacier, Stages of the water cycle, : isthe natural flow of water that continues in a long line across tnd 10 the sea. Water flows from a higher level such as a atain too lower level, such as a valley or plain, forming a flowing water flows downhill as small creeks first. Small ys combine to form larger streams and rivers as they iW downhill. l can be found in liquid state, as a river or 0s water vapour. All these are different 0! orin ijacier is defined as a slow-moving mass or river of formed from snow on mountains or near the North eor South Pole. They are made up of are made up of n snow that, over many years, compresses into large, rickened ice masses. laciers Move very slowly, whereas rivers flow very fast. eglaciers can also melt and flow down and combine to form vers. The water in the rivers absorb heat from the Sun and turns to water vapours. glacier he vapours then change their state to either rain or snow. Sometimes recipitation causes a mixture of rain and snow called sleet, to fall. The falling now forms glaciers which become part of the water cycle again. Itdoes not have to be boiling hot for water to rise into the air. |. Put some water in a cup. : water on the outside of the cup. CTT 1, What is the water cycle? 2. Describe the difference between a river and a glacier.There are four sta: e 6 De iges to : a a the water cycle: gm g Ere eee _ * evaporation : ( ) ta ——_ + condensation Wy precipitation Precipitation + run-off (or collection) . Evaporation is when the water is heated and is turned from a liquid into a gas. We call this water vapour. Because gases are lighter than air, the water vapour rise to the sky. . Condensation is when cold air cools the gas and it changes into a liquid. When the gas (water vapour) has turned into a Liquid, it forms clouds. Clouds are made of tiny water droplets. Precipitation is when the liquid (water) in the sky falls to the ground. This happens because the tiny drops of water join together to form bigger drops. When they become too heavy to stay in the air, they fall to the Earth . Run-off is when the rain that has fallen to Earth runs downhill and back into a lake or ie ocea‘ qtural resources we et resources are things that grow or are created naturally, rural ord ‘resource’ means something that can be used. Only natural things that mal to humans can be called natural resources. ome examples of natural resources: without human help. are fe are S water trees and plants silver sand salt windenergy solar energy DIGGING OP THE PAST Coal is the remains of plants that lived on earth millions of years ago. Oil is formed from the Simant of oceans ~a process that also began millions of years ago. Indeed, remains of the past con be found in the ground, in rocks and in water in many forms, including fossils of Gnimals, plants and even microorganisms. ‘Afossil is a dead plant or animal which has tured hard and become rock-like with time. “These fossils undergo change into fuel forms, due to the pressure of Layers of Earth, over thousands of years. j Answer the question. 1, What are natural resources? 2, Select any three natural resources and explain how ‘they are used by humans.Humans use natural resources for all sorts of reasons. Mostly natural resources are used for the comfort, Humans use water for three main reasons. well-being, and personal enjoyment of cluilitie) humans. washing Some natural resources may be used as transport is, or they may be used to create other industry objects to improve our quality of life. energy production The way people use natural resources has changed over the years, as the things we need and want have changed. For example, the clothes, communications and furniture we use today are very different to those used by previous generations. TREES AND PLANTS Humans use trees and other plants for five main reasons. Humans use minerals for four main reasons. + building + growing plants + energy sourcece ES “ ral resources can be divided into two types: renewable and non-renewable. r able resources are resources that will not run out. sans can keep using them as much as they like. ndand energy from the Sun are renewable resources hen used as energy sources. arth will not run out of wind or energy from the Sun. Do you know what non-renewable resources are? Think about what the opposite of renewable would mean. Non-renewable resources are resources that can only be used once. Once they have all been used up, there are no more of them. Examples of non-renewable resources are coal, oil, gas, petroleum, and minerals. © eImpact of human activities on natural resources e natural resources to live and create items for our habitat e a resource faster than it can be replaced, it creates an imbalance in our vironment. For example, wasting water and dumping trash and ath of many fishes. It also means less fresh, clean and humans. Cutting down trees or digging up Large ults in the destruction of the habitat of many plants and animals. ly begun to suffer because of such actions, for example through overall increase in temperature of the planet. al, oil, and other minerals are non-renewable. If humans continue to overuse them, the Earth will run out of them. The Earth does continue to produce coal and oil and other minerals but much more slower than the humans are using them up.ye jservation ation is about protecting and mana ‘ ging the Earth’s natural resources and ‘onment so that they are still here for fi uture generations, gine if people who lived before us had ed the rivers and the streams, pat do you think that would mean for us? ould mean we would not have fresh sinking water. ould mean there would not be any fish nthe water. So we would have less to eat. Imagine if people who lived before us had chopped down lots and lots of trees. This is known as overlogging i.e. cutting off more trees than required. What do you think that would mean for us? It would mean we would not have wood to build houses. It would mean there would not be a place for lots of animals to live. Conserving water Water is a very important natural resource. All living beings need water to live. There are places on Earth which have very little rainfall and freshwater, such as the desert Thar. People in such places live a very difficult Life trying to find water for daily use, Itwould mean less fresh air for us to breathe.So we need to make sure we use water properly Some people waste water. + They water their garden on a day when it is going to rain. + They take long showers. + They fill a sink with water to wash dishes, when far less water would be enough If too much water is wasted, there will not be enough water for humans, animals and plants in times when it does not rain. + Plants will die. + Animals will have to move to find water, + Humans will have to ration their supply of water. SAVING Ud ATER x Here are five ways you can save water, Have a short shower or wash, rather than a long one. + Tum off the tap while you are brushing your teeth, + Fix leaking taps at home as soon as they start leaking. + Collect rainwater and use it instead of tap water A when you can. . Grow plants that do not need much water to live. Answer the questions, 1, What is meant by conservation? 2. Whyjs conservation needed? a Can water conservation help people living in dry, desert areas?