Water on Earth-Notes

Multiple Choice

What percentage of Earth's water is freshwater?

• 3%

• 71%

• 97%

• 50%

Multiple Choice

What percentage of Earth's freshwater is frozen, and what percentage of the remaining unfrozen freshwater is available to supply living organisms?

• 77% is frozen; about half a percent of the remaining is available

• 50% is frozen; 10% of the remaining is available

• 23% is frozen; 77% of the remaining is available

• 90% is frozen; 1% of the remaining is available

Multiple Choice

Why is MOST of the freshwater on Earth not available for our use?

• All freshwater on Earth is easily accessible for use.
• It is frozen in the icecaps and glaciers.
• It is surface water.
• It is underground.

Multiple Choice

Based on the diagrams, which sources make up the majority of Earth's accessible freshwater?

• Lakes

• Ice caps and glaciers

• Groundwater

• Rivers

Open Ended

How does the water cycle affect ocean salinity?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements best explains why the ocean is an important component of the Earth's climate system?

• It contains most of the Earth's living organisms.

• It can collect, drive, and mix water, heat, and carbon dioxide.

• It is the largest source of freshwater.

• It has the highest salinity of all water bodies.

Multiple Choice

Which process is responsible for transferring water vapor from the ocean to the atmosphere as shown in the diagram?

• Evaporation

• Condensation

• Precipitation

• Sublimation

Open Ended

Summarize what you learned today about the distribution of water on Earth. Why is most of Earth's water not drinkable?

Open Ended

Explain how the circulation of ocean water helps regulate air temperatures around the world.