ENVS 101 Unit 2 Study Guide Questions with Correct
Answers
Relate important properties of water to its environmental importance
Correct Answer-Chemically Unique - only substance to exist in all three
forms (liquid, solid, and gas)
High Heat Capacity - serves as a heat sink, regulates temperature on
coasts
Universal Solvent - compounds can dissolve very easily
High Surface Tension - serves as cell membranes
Cohesive and adhesive properties
Why is cohesion an important property of water? Correct Answer-water
is attracted to itself and this allows for surface tension to occur
Why is Adhesion an important property of water? Correct Answer-water
is attracted to other things, allowing capillary action to occur in a
meniscus
What is a heat sink? Correct Answer-Water can store much heat without
having drastic changes in its own temperature. This helps to control
global warming
How does water's ability to act as a weak sink affect the climates of
Northern Europe and East Asia? Correct Answer-currents carry heat
away from the equator and keep areas of higher latitude warmer than
they otherwise would be
,Discuss the relationship between water temperature and density and why
is it important Correct Answer-direct relationship, as temperature
increases so does density.
Differentiate between fresh and salt water Correct Answer-fresh water
has very low concentration of solutes, density is higher in salt water
Sources of freshwater and distribution around the world Correct
Answer-total freshwater - 2.5%
glaciers and ice caps - 79%
Groundwater - 20%
Surface water - 1%
out of surface water
ice and snow - 73.1%
lakes 20.1%
Soil moisture 3.52%
swamps - 2.35%
rivers - 0.46%
biological water - 0.22%
atmospheric water - 0.22%
what is the largest sink of fresh water Correct Answer-Groundwater
, where are glaciers and why are they important sources of fresh water
Correct Answer-largest Glaciers are in Greenland and Antartica
glaciers slowly melt and form rivers that humans use to drink from
what is the largest threat to glaciers Correct Answer-global warming due
to climate change
What is the second largest sink of freshwater/the largest source of
available freshwater Correct Answer-Surface water
identify global locations where water scarcity is a problem Correct
Answer-Colorado River, Aral Sea, South Africa
what is the difference between physical water scarcity and economic
water scarcity Correct Answer-Physical water scarcity occurs when
precipitation is low while economic water scarcity occurs when access is
not limited by resource availability, but by human, institutional and
financial constraints over distribution of the resource to different user
groups
follow water through the hydrologic cycle Correct Answer-evaporation
over the ocean
vapor cools and condenses to droplets
precipitation occurs
water falls back into the ocean or on land
surface runoff occurs
Answers
Relate important properties of water to its environmental importance
Correct Answer-Chemically Unique - only substance to exist in all three
forms (liquid, solid, and gas)
High Heat Capacity - serves as a heat sink, regulates temperature on
coasts
Universal Solvent - compounds can dissolve very easily
High Surface Tension - serves as cell membranes
Cohesive and adhesive properties
Why is cohesion an important property of water? Correct Answer-water
is attracted to itself and this allows for surface tension to occur
Why is Adhesion an important property of water? Correct Answer-water
is attracted to other things, allowing capillary action to occur in a
meniscus
What is a heat sink? Correct Answer-Water can store much heat without
having drastic changes in its own temperature. This helps to control
global warming
How does water's ability to act as a weak sink affect the climates of
Northern Europe and East Asia? Correct Answer-currents carry heat
away from the equator and keep areas of higher latitude warmer than
they otherwise would be
,Discuss the relationship between water temperature and density and why
is it important Correct Answer-direct relationship, as temperature
increases so does density.
Differentiate between fresh and salt water Correct Answer-fresh water
has very low concentration of solutes, density is higher in salt water
Sources of freshwater and distribution around the world Correct
Answer-total freshwater - 2.5%
glaciers and ice caps - 79%
Groundwater - 20%
Surface water - 1%
out of surface water
ice and snow - 73.1%
lakes 20.1%
Soil moisture 3.52%
swamps - 2.35%
rivers - 0.46%
biological water - 0.22%
atmospheric water - 0.22%
what is the largest sink of fresh water Correct Answer-Groundwater
, where are glaciers and why are they important sources of fresh water
Correct Answer-largest Glaciers are in Greenland and Antartica
glaciers slowly melt and form rivers that humans use to drink from
what is the largest threat to glaciers Correct Answer-global warming due
to climate change
What is the second largest sink of freshwater/the largest source of
available freshwater Correct Answer-Surface water
identify global locations where water scarcity is a problem Correct
Answer-Colorado River, Aral Sea, South Africa
what is the difference between physical water scarcity and economic
water scarcity Correct Answer-Physical water scarcity occurs when
precipitation is low while economic water scarcity occurs when access is
not limited by resource availability, but by human, institutional and
financial constraints over distribution of the resource to different user
groups
follow water through the hydrologic cycle Correct Answer-evaporation
over the ocean
vapor cools and condenses to droplets
precipitation occurs
water falls back into the ocean or on land
surface runoff occurs
