Unit 2 Section 2 Notes
Main Ideas
 Distribution of Water
 Surface Water
 Ground Water
Details
 Water is unevenly distributed
throughout the Earth.
 Around 97% of Earth’s water is
within the oceans.
 2% of the Earth’s water is
contained in glaciers in the polar
regions.
 1% of the water is freshwater
that is within lakes, streams, and
rivers.
 Surface water is water on
Earth’s surface.
 First, small streams are called
headwaters.
 These headwaters create
tributaries, or small streams or
rivers that flow into larger rivers.
(Ex. Pearl River is a tributary of the
Mississippi River)
 The oceans cover nearly 70% of
Earth’s surface.
 Ground water is water below
the soil, or within the tiny spaces
between soil and rock.
 When water begins to collect
into pools below ground, the water
create an aquifer.
Main Idea
 The Water Cycle
 Water Hazards
 Water conservation
Details
 The water cycle is the
circulation of water from Earth’s
surface to the atmosphere and
back.
o Evaporation- when the
sun heats the water on
Earth’s surface to create
water vapor.
o Condensation- when in
water vapor cools in the
atmosphere, and becomes
small water droplets.
o Precipitation- when the
water droplets form
together, and becomes too
heavy and falls to the
surface again.
 The Water Cycle is a continuous
cycle.
 The Earth’s amount of water
never changes. It only changes
places and form.
 Types of precipitation: Snow,
rain, sleet, hail.
 Water can be extremely
dangerous and cause many deaths.
 Types of water hazards: Floods,
water currents, tsunamis, severe
rains, hurricanes, hail storms,
tornadoes.
 For every person who dies in
natural disasters, 4 out 10 die from
floods.
 Water conservation is to use the
least amount of water as possible.
 Water management plants have
found more efficient (better) ways
Main Ideas
Details

Water
Pollution

Air Pollution

Long-Term
Pollution Effects

Water pollution is the
contamination of water with
other substances such as:
plastics, garbage, chemicals
from plants and farms.

The effects of water
pollution may carry down
stream into rivers and oceans.
The chemicals may cause the
death or harm of many fish and
shellfish.

Air pollution is the
contamination of the air we
breathe with chemicals released
into the atmosphere.

Air pollution comes from
many sources such as: cars,
factories burning of fossil fuels.

In some areas, such as
large cities, the accumulation of
chemicals can create smog.

The mixture of the
chemicals released and the
moisture in the air and fall to
Earth’s surface is called acid
rain. This can have a negative
effect, and may even kill plants
and trees.

The burning of fossil fuels
and other chemicals, may have
caused damage to the ozone
layer in Earth’s upper
atmosphere.
Main Idea
Details

The ozone layer is a layer
within the atmosphere that
blocks harmful UV rays from the
Sun.

Another issue is Global
warming, or the heating of the
Earth’s overall temperature.
Even within a few degrees can
have devastating effects.

With the heat unable to
escape, this causes the
greenhouse effect.