Earth's Freshwater

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best describes an aquifer?

• A slow moving body of ice on land

• A human-made place to collect and store water

• A large river that flows into the ocean

• An underground water supply

Open Ended

Rewrite the sentence: Earth's water is about ___ percent saltwater, and ___ percent freshwater.

Open Ended

What are the four largest sources of freshwater on Earth?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements best explains why some areas experience freshwater shortages while others do not?

• Freshwater is evenly distributed across the Earth.

• Some areas receive more rainfall while others are dry.

• All areas have equal access to aquifers.

• Freshwater shortages are caused only by pollution.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are reasons why people worldwide face freshwater shortages?

• Lack of reservoirs to store water

• Uneven distribution of rainfall

• Water pollution and habitat destruction

• Overuse of groundwater

Open Ended

Explain how human activities have affected the size of the Florida Everglades and the availability of freshwater in that region.

Open Ended

If more than half of Earth is covered with water, why is freshwater so limited?

Open Ended

Surface water is found in lakes, rivers, swamps, marshes, the atmosphere, and ice- and snow-covered land. Why are people not always able to use water from all these sources?