The Water Planet

Front

Closed system Noun

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[klohzd sis-tuhm]

Back

Closed system

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A system where almost no material enters from an outside source or is lost to the outside environment.

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Example: A closed system is shown with a boundary that separates it from its surroundings, illustrating no material exchange.

Front

Fresh water Noun

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[fresh waw-ter]

Back

Fresh water

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Water that has a low concentration of salt, making it suitable for drinking and supporting human civilization.

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Example: The image shows different zones of a freshwater lake, illustrating where various organisms live.

Front

Groundwater Noun

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[ground-waw-ter]

Back

Groundwater

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Water that is held underground within the soil or in the pores and crevices of rock formations.

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Example: The image shows groundwater stored in aquifers beneath the Earth's surface, illustrating how water is held in soil and rock layers.

Front

Surface water Noun

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[sur-fis waw-ter]

Back

Surface water

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Water that collects on the surface of the ground, such as in rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds.

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Example: The image shows surface water in rivers and lakes, labeled for easy identification.

Front

Precipitation Noun

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[pri-sip-i-tey-shuhn]

Back

Precipitation

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Water released from clouds in various forms, including rain, snow, sleet, or hail, that falls to Earth.

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Example: Clouds releasing rain and snow show precipitation as water falls to Earth.

Front

Pollutant Noun

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[puh-loo-tnt]

Back

Pollutant

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A substance that enters the environment and can lower the quality of water, air, or soil resources.

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Example: A diagram showing how pollutants are filtered from water, illustrating their impact on water quality.

Front

Renewable resource Noun

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[ri-noo-uh-buhl ree-sawrs]

Back

Renewable resource

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A natural resource that is constantly being recycled or replaced by natural processes over a relatively short time.

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Example: Wind turbines and solar panels use natural processes to generate energy, showing renewable resources.

Front

Water conservation Noun

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[waw-ter kon-ser-vey-shuhn]

Back

Water conservation

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The practice of using water efficiently and responsibly to reduce unnecessary water usage and preserve the resource.

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Example: The image shows Earth as a water source being tapped into a glass, teaching the importance of conserving water.

Front

Ocean current Noun

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[oh-shuhn kur-uhnt]

Back

Ocean current

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A continuous, directed movement of sea water generated by forces like wind, tides, and differences in water density.

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Example: Arrows show ocean currents' directions and temperatures around continents.

Front

Salinity Noun

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[suh-lin-i-tee]

Back

Salinity

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The measure of the concentration of dissolved salts in a body of water, such as the ocean.

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Example: Dissolved salts in water increase salinity, shown by ions surrounded by water molecules.