Unit 1: Water Systems on Earth Grade 8 Science Unit 1: Water Systems on Earth

Effects of Water? Churchill River

Large Ocean Wave

Recreational Activities How do you use water? House Hold Use Personal Use Recreational Activities

Water Distribution

Only 3% of the Earth’s water is fresh water (no salt). 2/3 of this water is frozen in ice sheets. Therefore only 1% of the fresh water on Earth is available.

Review of Terms... Definition of Lithosphere: the solid rocky ground of the Earth’s crust. Do not write in pamphlet

Atmosphere: the environment surrounding the Earth. Do not write in pamphlet

Hydrosphere: All water on Earth Hydrosphere: All water on Earth. Including that in the lithosphere and atmosphere.

Scientists who study water... Hydrologist A person who studies Earth’s water systems and helps to find solutions to problems of water quality and quantity. Not in pamphlet

Oceanographer: A person who studies all aspects of the ocean Oceanographer: A person who studies all aspects of the ocean. They are concerned with the biology, geology, physics, and mathematics of the ocean.

Why do We Not Run Out of Water?? Because of the: WATER CYCLE

The Water Cycle...

The constant cycling of water through the processes of : Evaporation&Condensation.condensa tio Water is constantly changing from (gas liquid) and back again. This driven by the sun’s energy.

Ocean Water vs. Fresh Water Three ways in which fresh water differs from ocean water are: 1. Salinity 2. Density 3. Freezing point

1. Salinity - Definition -The amount of salt dissolved in a specific amount of water. salt comes from dissolved solids in the ground and volcanoes. salt comes from dissolved solids in the ground and volcanoes.

Fresh Water Salt Water has tiny amounts of salt. Average amount of salt in salt water is 35 ppt. Salt content varies depending on location. Increase salt at the equator and poles

2. Density - Definition -The amount of mass of a substance in a certain unit volume. *How tightly packed together the material is in a substance.

*Ocean water is more dense than fresh water due to the salt content. The Dead Sea

3. Freezing Point -Definition -The temperature at which a liquid freezes. *Fresh water... 0oC *Salt water... -1.9oC

Core Lab Activities Activity 1-3A “Salinity’s Effect on Water Density” Graphing Assignment pp60-61 “Temperature & Water Density”

Sources of Fresh Water Lakes, ponds and wetlands Streams and rivers Ground water Run Off Glaciers

3. Ground Water... Precipitation that falls on land and sinks out of sight. Sinks through pores in rocks and goes down to bedrock where it pools. These pools to us make up “wells”.

Ground Water : Drilling Wells

4. Run Off Water that doesn’t sink into the ground or evaporate and flows over the land. Run-off is affected by: a) ground material, b) amount of rain, c) amount of time it rains, d) slope (steepness) of the land, e) vegetation, f) the amount of development.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cBcMfaSxpk Glaciers

5.Glaciers... A moving mass of snow and ice. Found in areas where it is so cold the snow remains all year.

Glaciers A glacier is any large mass of ice that moves slowly over land. *Glaciers only form in areas where more snow falls than melts *Snow builds up year after year *Pressure on the snow at the bottom turns it into ice *Gravity pulls the glacier downhill

Types of Glaciers Valley glacier Continental glacier www.uwsp.edu/.../glacier_Ellesmere_GSC.jpg pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1216/images/mendenhall.gif

Types of Glaciers A valley glacier is a long, narrow glacier that forms high in a mountain valley *Also called Alpine glaciers *flows a few centimeters to a few meters per day A continental glacier is a glacier that covers much of a continent or large island *much larger than valley glaciers *spreads out like pancake batter *cover Antarctica and Greenland

Glaciers in mountains and on the continent of Antarctica

Glaciers flow until they reach an ocean, where crevasses open and icebergs fall off

Water trapped in glacial ice

Importance of Glaciers Almost 69% of all fresh water on Earth is found in glaciers Glaciers slow down the Water Cycle by storing large amounts of frozen fresh water. (=Reservoir) Some water thaws in the hot summer months.

Importance of Glaciers Glaciers give us information about the Earth’s past climates. ( samples)

Continental Glaciers Continental glaciers cover about 10% of Earth’s surface The glacier covering Antarctica is over 14 million square kilometers and 2 kilometers thick An Ice Age is a time when continental glaciers cover large parts of Earth’s surface * The last ice age ended 10,000 years ago. * Ice has covered 1/3 of Earth

The Ice Age The most recent began 120 000 years ago ending 11 000 years ago. Glaciers covered ~ 20% of land on Earth.

Glaciers and Global Warming In the last 100 years the average surface temp. Has increased by 0.5oC. The world’s glaciers are melting at a quicker paces than ever before.

Melting Greenland Glacier

Receding Athabasca Glacier in Alberta It has receded 1.5 km since 1843.

What does this mean? Ocean waters may rise Flood rivers If they disappear, rivers may dry up.

Watch the video Chasing Ice

Watersheds and Drainage Basins

6.Drainage Basins Watersheds The area of land with water that drains into a body of water such as a river, pond, lake or ocean. There may be many smaller basins within a larger basin.

A divide separates one drainage basin from another. For example: The Continental Divide

Canadian Drainage Basins

Drainage basins close to home are Labrador Sea, & Gulf Of St. Lawrence

6 Major Drainage Basins in NS Labrador Sea Gulf of St. Lawrence West Coast Gulf of St. Lawrence South Coast Gulf of St. Lawrence Atlantic Ocean Avalon Peninsula Atlantic Ocean North-east Coast

Our Drainage Basin Tracadie River Basin

One Component Affects Another Salinity : affects the types of organisms that can survive in an area. Eg. Dead Sea

Temperature : affects the amount of dissolved oxygen in water. Ex. The higher the temp. the more oxygen.

The convergence of the Labrador Current and the Gulf Stream Current (place where they meet) influences productivity of the Grand Banks (more fish there), the movement of icebergs, and migration of capelin and whales.