CONTENT

1- What is the hydrosphere ........................................................................................ 3

2- Water Is Important to Life ....................................................................................... 4
3- The Water Cycle .................................................................................................... 5
3.1 What is the water cycle? ............................................................................................... 5
3.2 How does the water cycle work? .................................................................................. 5
3.3 What are the processes of the water cycle? ................................................................. 6
3.3.1 Condensation ........................................................................................................ 6
3.3.2 Precipitation .......................................................................................................... 7
4- Human Impacts on Hydrosphere ........................................................................... 8
5- Climate .................................................................................................................. 9
6- Vocabulary A-Z ...................................................................................................... 9
7- Writing Activities .................................................................................................. 11
8.- Listening Activities ............................................................................................... 14

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 1- WHAT IS THE HYDROSPHERE
The hydrosphere is the component of the Earth that is composed of all liquid
water found on the planet. The hydrosphere includes water storage areas such as oceans,
seas, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. Overall, the hydrosphere is very large, with the
oceans alone covering about 71% of the surface area of Earth.

The motion of the hydrosphere and the exchange of water between the
hydrosphere and cryosphere is the basis of the hydrologic cycle. The continuous
movement and exchange of water helps to form currents that move warm water from
the tropics to the poles and help regulate the temperature of the Earth. The exchanging
of water is thus a vital part of the hydrosphere.

It is important to note that although the hydrosphere is primarily composed of

water, there are also some "impurities" or additions to this water that include dissolved
minerals, dissolved gases, and particulates. Some of these can be considered pollution,
while others are necessary for health of ecosystems. For example, too much sediment is
harmful to the surrounding ecosystems, while insufficient levels of dissolved oxygen in
the water lead to hypoxic conditions that can harm ecosystems. Thus, a delicate balance
is needed for healthy ecosystems that surround different components of the
hydrosphere.

Scientists believe that the amount of water on Earth does not change
appreciatively over time. In other words, the amount of water that is on the Earth today
is the same amount that was on the Earth during the reign of the dinosaurs.

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 2- WATER IS IMPORTANT TO LIFE

Some of the Earth’s water supply is temporarily locked up within the many
lifeforms found across the Earth’s biosphere. This water makes up a majority of most
organisms, and is a critical component, making the processes of life possible. Some
organisms are made up of 95% water, while almost all the rest are more than half water.

Why is water so important to life? It all has to do with the unique properties that
water exhibits. Firstly, it is the only substance on Earth that is in liquid form at the
temperatures commonly found on the Surface of our planet. Secondly, it is a superb
solvent, meaning that other substances regularly and easily dissolve into it. This allows
water to carry nutrients to cells, and carry waste away from them.

In addition, water has the unique property of expanding as it freezes. Because

water expands becoming less dense, frozen water, more commonly known as ice, floats.
This is very important because it protects the water underneath, insulating it from
freezing.

Imagine what would happen if water became more dense? It would sink, allowing
another layer of water to freeze. Eventually all the water across the entire surface of our
planet would freeze, making life impossible.

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 3- THE WATER CYCLE
Water exists at the surface of the earth in many different forms, such as in rivers,
oceans and glaciers, but it also exists in the atmosphere as water vapour, which we can’t
see.

In the atmosphere, we can see liquid water droplets in clouds and we can also see
ice crystals as clouds too, but these are usually much higher up.

3.1 WHAT IS THE WATER CYCLE?

The water cycle is the process by which water is continuously transferred between
the surface of the earth and the atmosphere.

3.2 HOW DOES THE WATER CYCLE WORK?

The water cycle works by using the energy of the sun to exchange water from the
surface of the earth to the atmosphere and back again in a continuous cycle, whether
liquid, solid or gas. It’s always happening, all around us, all the time.

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3.3 WHAT ARE THE PROCESSES OF THE WATER CYCLE?

Evaporation, transpiration and sublimation: Water at the surface of the earth, in

rivers, streams, oceans or whatever, is heated by the sun. It then evaporates - turns from
liquid to gas - and becomes water vapour, rising into the atmosphere. Plants and trees
also release water vapour into the atmosphere through their leaves by transpiration.

Water normally change between solid, liquid and gas in single stages, but
sometimes a stage can be skipped. Ice, for example, can change straight into water
vapour by a process known as sublimation.

3.3.1 Condensation

All this water vapour in the atmosphere will then eventually be forced to
condense from a gas into a liquid water droplet. In the atmosphere this is done as air rises
and cools, often forming clouds in the process.

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3.3.2 Precipitation

Within a cloud, the liquid water droplets are likely to merge together over time,
forming larger droplets. At some point these droplets may get large enough that they fall
from the sky, and depending on the conditions we may see hail, rain, sleet or snow falling
from the clouds.

When this rain, sleet or snow reaches the surface, many things can happen. The
water may flow into rivers, oceans and streams. It may soak into the soil, where it will still
move towards a river, but it will do so very slowly over a long time as it filters through the
ground. It may also collect on ice caps or glaciers. It may even soak into the roots of a
plant or tree and be used to help it grow.

No matter what happens to the water, it is now ready to be evaporated,

sublimated or transpired again which completes the water cycle.

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 4- HUMAN IMPACTS ON HYDROSPHERE
In recent history humans have drastically changed the hydrosphere. Water
pollution, river damming, wetland drainage, climate changeand irrigation have all
changed the hydrosphere. Eutrophication caused by the release of fertilizers and sewage
into water storage areas has caused aquatic environments to be artificially enriched with
nutrients. The excessive algal blooms can result in harmful hypoxic conditions in the
water. Acid rain from Sox and Nox emissions from fossil fuel combustion has resulted in
the acidification of components of the hydrosphere, harming surrounding ecosystems.

Finally, when humans change the natural flow of water in the hydrosphere by
diverting and damming rivers it harms surrounding ecosystems that rely on the water
source. This can also result in the drying out of some aquatic areas and excessive amounts
of sediment entering streams and rivers.

The activities of modern society are having a severe impact on the hydrologic
cycle. The dynamic steady state is being disturbed by the discharge of toxic chemicals,
radioactive substances, and other industrial wastes and by the seepage of mineral
fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides into surface and subsurface aquatic systems.
Inadvertent and deliberate discharge of petroleum, improper sewage disposal, and
termal pollution also are seriously affecting the quality of the hydrosphere.

The present discussion focuses on three major problems eutrophication, acid, rain
and the buildup of the so-called greenhouse gases . Each exemplifies human interference
in the hydrologic cycle and its far-reaching effects.

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 5- CLIMATE
The properties and motion of the hydrosphere are important in maintaining the
diverses climate that exist worldwide. The ocean - which holds 97% of the water on Earth
- is especially important to the climate system. The ocean itself serves as a reservoir which
contributes to how much solar radiation is absorbed. Since the ocean is so vast, it absorbs
a large amount of energy from the sun. As well, the ocean is important to the climate
system as it limits how fast the climate can change. Additionally, the ocean serves to
redistribute energy and heat around the globe, contributing to the different average
temperaturas that exist over the globe.

6- VOCABULARY A-Z

Aquifer an underground layer of rock or earth which holds groundwater.

Atmosphere layers of gases surrounding a planet or other celestial body.

Cloud visible mass of tiny water droplets or ice crystals in Earth's atmosphere.

Cryosphere icy part of the Earth's waterincluding icebergs, glaciers, and ice caps.

Earth our planet, the third from the Sun. The Earth is the only place in the known
universe that supports life.

Europa moon of Jupiter.

Evaporate to change from a liquid to a gas or vapor.

Fog clouds at ground level.

Glacier mass of ice that moves slowly over land.

Groundwater water found in an aquifer.

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Hydrosphere all the Earth's water in the ground, on the surface, and in the air.

Ice water in its solid form.

Iceberg large chunks of ice that break off from glaciers and float in the ocean.

Ice cap area of fewer than 50,000 square kilometers (19,000 square miles)
covered by ice.

Jupiter largest planet in the solar system, the fifth planet from the Sun.

Lake body of water surrounded by land.

Liquid state of matter with no fixed shape and molecules that remain loosely
bound with each other.

Ocean large body of salt water that covers most of the Earth.

Planet large, spherical celestial body that regularly rotates around a star.

Rain liquid precipitation.

River large stream of flowing fresh water.

Snow precipitation made of ice crystals.

Vapor visible liquid suspended in the air, such as fog.

Water cycle movement of water between atmosphere, land, and ocean.

Well a hole drilled in the Earth to obtain a liquid or gaseous substance.

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7- WRITING ACTIVITIES
1) Answer the questions

• What are the three forms of water?

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• What is formed in precipitation?

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• What causes evaporation?

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• What is the name of the state that water is collected?

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• What is the state the changes from liquid to vapor?

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2) Crossword

V
3 R

4 L L

2 D

1.- The sun heats up water in rivers and oceans, it turns into water vapor
and goes into the air.
2.- Water vapor in the air gets cold and form clouds.
3.- So much water has condensed and forms rain or snow.
4.- Precipitation falls and is collected rivers and oceans.
COLLECTION – PRECIPITATION – EVAPORATION - CONDENSATION

3) There are three states of water

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 4) Answer true or false:

Water is one of the most common substances on our planet.

Water covers more than half of the Earth.

A molecule of water is made up of two parts of oxygen and one of Hydrogen.

The amount of water on Earth changes through the time.

There is no water in the desert.

5) Alphabet Soup 2.0

Click in the image!!!

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8.- LISTENING ACTIVITIES
This a link about information of hydrosphere.

Click here!!!

Answer these questions:

1. Which is the percentage the hydrosphere in the Earth?

2. What is the colour of the planet in the solar system?
3. What is the percentage of water in the oceans? And in the fresh water?
4. Where is the water solid?

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