Learning about. Chapter 10 Access to fresh water. 1 In your own words, explain why water is considered to be the world s most important resource.

Transcription

1 268 1 In your own words, explain why water is considered to be the world s most important resource. 2 Why is water a renewable resource? 3 If 70 per cent of the Earth is water, why do humans have access to less than 0.01 per cent of the total fresh water supply? 4 In one paragraph, explain how the water cycle works. Include the following terms in your explanation: precipitation, condensation, evaporation, transpiration. 5 Should access to fresh water be considered a basic human right? Give reasons for your answer. 6 What is meant by the terms social justice and equity? Is access to fresh water equal and just around the world? 7 Fill in the gaps to complete the following summary using [10.5] and [10.6] and the knowledge you have gained. The availability of fresh depends on growth rates, as well as precipitation and rates of evaporation and transpiration. A low population projection will produce a total population of million in This will mean a greater share of fresh water for more people. It means that approximately one billion people will experience water, 0.9 billion will be water stressed and billion will have relatively sufficient water. However, if population growth rates are high there will be less fresh water to share. In this situation 2.1 billion people will experience water scarcity, 4.55 billion will be water and billion will have relatively sufficient water.

2 8 Why will there be further demands for fresh water in the poorer, developing countries? Which countries will be most affected? 9 Use [10.8] to complete the following table with at least four countries that fall into each of the four categories of projected water vulnerability in High water vulnerability Medium water vulnerability Low water vulnerability No water vulnerability 10 Describe the distribution of the countries (the regions in which they are located) that have no/low vulnerability and those that have medium/high vulnerability. 11 Briefly outline the goals in place by international organisations to improve access to fresh water Provide a fact file for one of the countries that is projected to have medium/high water vulnerability in Use an atlas or the Internet to research current data, including the capital city, area, population, language, life expectancy and adult literacy levels.

3 271 1 Explain why it is important for people to have access to clean water. 2 Which countries are threatened by a lack of access to safe water? 3 List some of the diseases that can be spread by contaminated water. What are some of the effects of these diseases on people? 4 How many extra people were provided with access to fresh water during the UN Decade of Drinking Water? 5 How do humans use water? What is the greatest use of water resources? Use [10.13]. Complete the following table showing the global consumption patterns of water. The first one has been done for you. [10.15] Global water consumption patterns Region Agriculture % Industry % Domestic % World Africa Europe Asia South America Central America North America Oceania 3 Use your completed table [10.15] to answer true or false to the following: a Industry is the biggest user of water.

4 b South America uses 20 per cent of its water supplies for domestic purposes. c Europe uses the largest share of water for industry. d Asia uses 80 per cent of its water supply for industry. e The highest user of water for domestic purposes is North America. 5 Use your water meter to complete a daily record chart for water use in your home. Record your findings using a column graph. After you have recorded the daily water usage for a week (seven days), use your graph to answer the following: a On which day did your family use the most water? b On which day did they use the least amount of water? c Can you explain the difference between (a) and (b)? d Calculate the total weekly water consumption for your family. e Compare your family s weekly water consumption with that of others in your class. How does it compare? f Make a list of suggestions for reducing your family s water consumption. Record the amount of water used at the end of the next week with your previous total. Has there been a reduction?

5 274 1 Make a list of the ways humans alter the water cycle. Use [10.3] to help with your answer. 2 What is acid rain? 3 Describe the impacts of acid rain. 4 Draw a flow chart to show how acid rain is produced and contaminates the water supply. 5 Explain why most countries find it difficult to control acid rain.

6 274 1 Use the website <water.usgs.gov/nwc/nwc/ph/html/ph.html> to write a report about the incidence of acid rain in the USA. (Remember that acid rain has a ph of less than 5.) Select a US state and include a discussion of acid rain in this state for your report Explain why governments build large-scale water projects like the Three Gorges Project. 2 Explain why the Three Gorges Project is being undertaken. 3 Sketch an outline map of China below, and label the following: China, Yangtze River, Beijing, Shanghai, Tibet, Yellow Sea, Hunan and Hubei provinces. 4 Draw a timeline to show the stages of the Three Gorges Project.

7 5 Complete the following table to show the impacts of damming the Yangtze River on the physical and human environment. Impacts on the physical environment Impacts on the human environment 6 Give two arguments which suggest that the effects of flooding will not be improved. 7 Discuss the alternatives to damming the Yangtze. 8 Explain why sedimentation is a threat for dams like the Three Gorges Dam Use the extract on page 276 to answer the following. a Who wrote this material? b What is the central message of the material? c Who is the material aimed at? d Can you identify any bias in the material? Give examples.

8 2 Use the extract on page 277 to answer the following. a Who wrote this press release? b Why did they write it? c What is an NGO? Is ECAWATCH for or against the Three Gorges Project? d Can you identify examples of bias in this material? Give examples Why is it sensible to involve local communities in developing small-scale water projects? 2 Describe life in a typical farming estate in the south of Sri Lanka. 3 Use a flow chart to explain how the Peenkande water system works. 4 How was water collected before the water system was completed? 5 List the ways in which the locals have been and continue to be involved in the water system.

9 6 Is the Peenkande water system a preferred option to the super dam of China? Give reasons for your answer Complete the following table [10.31] to outline the role of the groups named in each of the sample studies. [10.31] Roles of groups in dam building Group Three Gorges Dam Peenkande Estate Individual Group (NGO, international organisation, etc.) Government