I. Give reasons. water.
1. Though water covers 71% of the Earth, • 2% of the water is found in the form of
very little can be used by humans. glaciers and ice sheets.
• 97% of the Earth’s water is found in the
oceans and it is salty.
• Only 3% of the water on Earth is fresh
• Only 1% of the fresh water is found in 1. Explain how evaporation, condensation
liquid form on the surface of the Earth and precipitation are essential for the
and as streams and lakes. water cycle.
• This makes fresh water a critical resource. • The continuous interchange of the
In many places the water is also polluted forms of water on Earth is called the
making it really scarce for humans. water cycle or the hydrological cycle.
2. The oceans are becoming saltier.
• Rivers and underground streams, which
carry dissolved salts with them, empty
into the oceans.
• The salts that come from volcanic
eruptions in the mid-ocean ridges also
contribute.
• With global warming adding to the rate
of evaporation, the oceans are becoming
saltier by the day.
3. Winds are the most common factor for
formation of waves.
• Strong winds blow across the open
oceans transferring the energy to the
water molecules on the surface of the
ocean.
• The water molecules in turn transmit
this energy through the water in the
form of waves.
• The molecules of water do not move
forward but up and down in the same
place causing waves.
• This wave motion is transmitted across
the ocean surface.
4. Convergence zones of hot and cold currents
are busy though they are dangerous areas.
• Though the convergence zones of hot
and cold currents are dangerous areas,
they are busy because:
• They make excellent fishing grounds due
to the presence of rich plankton
• help ships move swiftly, using currents,
as they help save fuel and travel time.
II. Answer the following questions.
• It involves the three different processes of • During these periods the high tides are
evaporation, condensation and not very high and the low tides are not
precipitation. very low. These tides are called neap
• Water from the surface of the Earth tides. They occur during the quarter
evaporates on heating and changes into phases of the Moon.
water vapour (from a liquid to gas). • (Refer to the diagram in the textbook.)
• The water vapour that rises up in the air
gets cooled by the low temperature there
and condenses (changes back to the liquid
state) to form clouds, droplets of water and
ice crystals.
• When the cloud particles get too heavy to
remain suspended, they fall back to the
Earth as precipitation. Precipitation occurs
in the form of hail, rain, snow, sleet, fog,
mist and dew.
2. Explain the following terms: a. swash b.
backwash
• As the wave approaches land, its lower
part slows down as a result of friction. The
upper part continues at the same speed,
causing the wave to curve forward and
break onto the beach. This breaking wave
is called the swash.
• The receding wave is called backwash.
3. With the help of diagrams, show how the
gravitational pull of the Sun and the Moon
affect the tides.
• When the Sun, the Moon and the Earth
are in a straight line, the Sun’s gravitational
pull gets added to that of the Moon. The
tides then have a higher tidal range.
• During these times, the high tides are
especially high and the low tides are
especially low. Such tides are called spring
tides. They occur on full moon days and
new moon days.
• If the Sun and the Moon are at right angles
to one another, the gravitational pull of the
Sun on the Earth partially cancels that of
the Moon.
4. How do ocean currents influence coastal Atacama (South America) and the Namib
areas? (Africa) deserts.
• Ocean currents influence the 5. What causes water pollution? Why is it a
temperature of the region they travel problem?
through. • Contamination of both the underground and
• Warm currents increase the temperature surface water is called water pollution.
of the coasts along which they move. Sea Contamination makes water unfit for use.
breezes that blow over warm currents
get warmed in turn and absorb moisture.
Then they carry the warmth and moisture
to neighbouring coastal areas.
• For example, the North Atlantic Drift,
carrying warm equatorial waters
northwards, increases temperatures
along the coast of north-western Europe
and helps to keep ports along these
coasts open (i.e., not frozen) throughout
the year.On the other hand, winds that
blow over cold currents become cold
and dry.
• Along the western coasts of most land
masses, these dry, cold winds have led
to the development of deserts like the
• Domestic wastes and untreated further pollution.
industrial effluents emptied into
water bodies cause water Value-based question
pollution. • Being grateful—the three men were grateful
• Polluted water may contain to the captain of the ship
bacteria, parasites, viruses, • Being compassionate
sewage, animal wastes, toxic • Being brave (The captain took a risk)
chemicals etc. Toxic wastes include
pesticides, fungicides, insecticides
and many other non-
biodegradable carcinogenic solid
wastes.
• Water pollution is a serious
problem because it leads to a lot of
water- borne diseases like
jaundice, diarrhoea, malaria,
amoebic dysentery, etc.
• Water, as we know is already a
scarce resource. Water pollution
makes it difficult for us to get even
clean drinking water.
• It therefore becomes our duty to
conserve water and prevent
