Monday, June 13th Homework Assignment for Tuesday, June 14th.

Early Opinion: From Page 7: Water supply and purity. Which is more critical?

I believe that water supply is significantly more critical than water purity. Because all water can be purified through filtration techniques to some extent, it is extremely important to have water to filter. Although filtration does not completely purify water, some minerals found in water are actually essential in small amounts. I recognize that it is necessary to have clean water, but I am also aware that foul water can be made able to drink; therefore, possessing partially clean water to drink is better than having none at all.

ISAS, pages 23-24:

1) Assume that Jimmy Hendricks drank just packaged fruit juice during the water shortage. Does that mean he did not use any water? Explain.

Although Jimmy Hendricks did not use direct water sources such as the kitchen sink as his source of drinkable water, by only drinking packaged fruit juice during the water shortage, he indirectly used much more water than what can be perceived. An indirect water source is a hidden use of water. The amount of water used to make the container, irrigate the fruit trees, and transport the juice is extremely larger than simply filling a glass up with tap water.

2) List at least three indirect uses of water associated with producing a loaf of bread.

1) The water used to grow the wheat (irrigation).
2) The water used to make the containers of the ingredients.
3) The amount of water used to raise a cow, which creates milk, which is then processed into butter.

8) Has the world’s total water changed in the past 100 years? The past 1 million years? Explain.

Although water changes state, and can become a gas, a solid, or a liquid, the amount of water in the world does not change. Water becomes a gas and evaporates into the air, falls again as a liquid or solid, and can freeze into ice. This is all part of the hydrologic cycle, and the world’s total water does not change.

9) Rank the following locations in order of greatest to least total water abundance on Earth: rivers, oceans, glaciers, water vapor.

Oceans, glaciers, water vapor, rivers.

10) Consider this quotation: “Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” Describe a situation in which this would be true.

Even though islands are completely surrounded by water, if a person was stranded on a deserted island, they would not have any water to drink. Since the ocean is composed of salt water, it is not suitable to drink from.

11) Look at Figure 1.12 on page 16. What percent of water is used in irrigation and agriculture in your U.S. region?

77% of water is used in irrigation and agriculture (in the west).

12) Look at Figure 1.15 on page 18. Fresh water makes up 2.8% of Earth’s water supply. Calculate the percent of fresh water found in
a. glaciers and ice caps.
b. lakes.

a. Glaciers and ice caps: 2.11%
b. Lakes: 0.009%

13) Explain why it might be possible that a molecule of water that you drank today was once swallowed by a dinosaur.

Due to the water cycle, or the hydrologic cycle, when a dinosaur excreted urine after drinking a molecule of water, the liquid evaporated into the air, and eventually fell as a new form of water. This cycle has been repeating endlessly, so it is possible that a molecule of water that I drank today was once swallowed by a dinosaur.

17) Each person in the United States uses an average of 370 L of water daily. Other sources, however, report that U.S. per capita water use is 4960 L. If both values are correct, explain this apparent discrepancy.

If both of these values are correct, perhaps 370 L represents the amount of water a person directly uses daily, and 4960 L represents the amount of water a person both directly and indirectly uses daily.

A.5, page 17:

1) For each region in the United States, name the greatest single use of water.

a. the East: Steam/electric
b. the South: Steam/electric
c. the Midwest: Steam/electric
d. the West: Irrigation/agricultural
e. Alaska: Mining
f. Hawaii: Irrigation/agricultural

2) Explain the differences in how water is used in the East and the West. Think about where most people live and where most of the nation’s factories and farms are located. What other regional factors help explain the general patters of water use?

In the East, the economy revolves around business, factories, production, and real estate. Because of the lack of an agricultural economy, the largest percent of water use in the East is in steam and electric. On the other hand, most of the nations farms are located in the West. Therefore, the West relies on water to fuel the irrigation and agricultural economy.

3) List two factors about the weather, economy, or culture that could explain the greatest water use within each of these six U.S. regions.

As previously stated, the economy and culture of the east revolves around factories, real estate, business, and city life. Additionally, because it gets both very hot and very cold in the east, air conditioning and air heating is a large part of daily life. These factors explain why the greatest water use is in steam and electric. In the South, it also becomes very cold and very hot depending on the season, so the greatest water use is also in steam and electric due to the common use of air conditioning and heaters. This is also true for the Midwest. In the West, there is a large dependence on farming, so, as previously stated, the greatest water use is in irrigation and agriculture. Since it is very cold in Alaska, the greatest water use is in mining. Because Hawaii is an Island surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the fertile lands that are frequently rained on depend on irrigation in order to produce good crops; therefore, the greatest water use within Hawaii is in irrigation and agriculture.