Jim Waters

PART 1 WATER ON EARTH

A. How much is the percent of water on the surface of our planet? How much water exists in
the oceans?

About 71% of the Earth is covered by water. When it comes to how much water the
oceans contain, they contain about 96.5% of all the Earths water.

B. What is the water cycle?

I remember learning about the water cycle from when I was a child in elementary school
science. From what I can recall it is the exchange of where water has been and will be
throughout our atmosphere. Water is usually in one of the three forms here on earth. As a
gas, liquid, or solid. This cycle is built upon the various temperatures here on earth. There
is no beginning or end, so to speak, therefore the term cycle is appropriate. This is a
continuous cycle of water changing between these three forms and redistributing
throughout our planet. If we start, say at the ocean or a large body of water, the climate is
between a certain temperature, above freezing and below boiling. Once water becomes
too hot it will evaporate and/or take a gas form. Floating upwards into our atmosphere
developing the clouds we see in the sky. Once these clouds have become massive enough
they will produce rain and/or snow, temperature depending. Lets say the clouds move in
from the west coast, to the east, towards the Rocky Mountains for demonstration
purposes. Once the clouds make it over the mountains they create snow and ice, the solid
form of water. The snow then melts in the spring and creates rivers flowing down the
mountain, and creating large lakes and other bodies of water, caused by erosion over
time. This cycle from a liquid, to a gas, to a solid, and again back to a liquid is always
repeating. This cycle is the recycling system of our water supply on Earth.
C. What other sources of water we have (think surface water, groundwater, glaciers)

As explained above there are several different ways the water is stored here on earth.
Ground water storage is exactly how it sounds (fresh water that is stored underground). In
order to reach this water you would have to dig until you were below what is known as
the water table. If you look at the diagram above you can visually the different sources of
water. You can also see storages like plants, runoffs, rivers, and lakes.

D. Name few characteristics of the water sources (oceans, surface water, glaciers) that
changed in the last 50 years.

Glaciers have melted, surface water has raised and have caused wash aways flooding,
contamination of fresh water, costal plant life augmentation and extinction, and
ultimately threatens marine and non-marine wildlife worldwide. Our oceans (most
anyway) have become poisoned and polluted. A great example of our oceans being
poisoned is the current radioactive crisis in Fukushima, Japan. This crisis has been
underestimated and down played. In fact, the government recently came forward and
stated that the issue in Fukushima is actually leaking six times more radioactive pollution
into the ocean than what was initially released. Making this disaster a catastrophic issue
on a global scale. As if ocean acidification from carbon dioxide wasnt a big enough
problem relating to oceans being polluted, we now have to be very skeptical on where
our sea food comes from. (currently I wouldnt recommend eating any type of sea food.
That isnt locally caught.) This happened almost five years ago and should be affecting
the oceans on our west coast very soon, if not already.

E. Do you know of any chemical change of the composition of water that created a problem
for any form of life (simple forms or advanced species)

As described above Ocean Acidification is one of the largest issues we face today when it
comes to the chemical composition of water. This is the cause of our reefs depleting
worldwide. Coral reefs are very important for marine life to nest, mate, and overall
survive in general. When CO2 is absorbed by the seawater in the oceans, chemical
reactions occur that reduce waters pH level, carbonate ion concentration, and saturation
states of biologically important calcium carbonate minerals. These chemical reactions are
known as "ocean acidification. Calcium carbonate minerals are the foundation of the
shells for many different types of marine life. In areas where most marine life convene in
the ocean; the water is saturated with calcium carbonate minerals. Therefore, there are
abundance of minerals for calcifying organisms to build their shells and/or skeletons.
However, O.A. is causing substantial amounts of the ocean to become under-saturated
with these minerals, and is affecting the ability of these organisms to produce and
maintain their skeletons and shells.The impact on Coral, Shellfish, and pteropods is
devastating to say the least. Without Coral, shellfish, and pteropods, marine life and
costal wildlife as we know it, may cease to exist. This will also have many negative
repercussions for humanity as well.