Learn
Games

2.7 - Water

Interactive Audio Lesson

Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.

Introduction to Water Resources

Unlock Audio Lesson

Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Lesson

Teacher
Teacher

Today, we're going to explore the significance of water. Can anyone tell me why water is often referred to as a vital natural resource?

Student 1
Student 1

Because it's essential for life, right? We need it for drinking, farming, and even electricity!

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Water supports all forms of life. It covers over 70% of our planet, yet did you know that only about 1% of all the water is available for our use?

Student 2
Student 2

That seems very low! What happens to the rest?

Teacher
Teacher

Most freshwater is locked away in glaciers and ice caps. It's important to remember this fact with the acronym 'GICE' — Glaciers, Ice, Clouds, Earth. Let's keep discussing the challenges of water availability.

Freshwater Scarcity

Unlock Audio Lesson

Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Lesson

Teacher
Teacher

Now that we know how scarce freshwater is, what do you think are some reasons for this scarcity?

Student 3
Student 3

I think pollution and overpopulation could contribute to that.

Teacher
Teacher

Excellent points! Pollution from industries and agriculture has contaminated many freshwater supplies. This brings us to a critical need for conservation. Can anyone suggest ways we can conserve water?

Student 4
Student 4

We could fix leaky taps and limit water use at home!

Teacher
Teacher

Great! Remember, even small changes add up. A dripping tap can waste 1200 liters a year! Let's think of more creative ways we can help conserve water.

Water Conservation Methods

Unlock Audio Lesson

Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Lesson

Teacher
Teacher

Let's delve deeper into water conservation. What techniques can you think of that help save water?

Student 1
Student 1

Rainwater harvesting is one method, right?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Rainwater harvesting allows us to capture and store rainwater for future use. Does anyone know other methods?

Student 2
Student 2

Drip irrigation sounds efficient since it reduces waste!

Teacher
Teacher

That's correct! Drip irrigation targets the plant roots directly, minimizing evaporation. Remember the acronym 'RAD' for Rainwater, Agricultural methods, and Drip irrigation to recall key conservation techniques.

Introduction & Overview

Read a summary of the section's main ideas. Choose from Basic, Medium, or Detailed.

Quick Overview

Water is a precious renewable resource that is essential for life but is under threat due to pollution and overuse.

Standard

Water covers three-fourths of the Earth's surface and is critical for various human activities. Freshwater is limited, and human actions, such as pollution and over-extraction, have led to significant water scarcity issues in many regions. Conservation strategies are essential to safeguard this vital resource.

Detailed

Water: An In-Depth Overview

Water is referred to as the 'water planet' due to its vast coverage, constituting over three-fourths of the Earth's surface. However, despite its abundance, only a small fraction—approximately 2.7%—is freshwater, and merely 1% is accessible for human consumption. The majority of the freshwater exists in ice sheets and glaciers, while groundwater, rivers, and lakes comprise the rest.

The significance of freshwater lies in its essential roles in drinking, agriculture, industry, and generating electricity. As populations grow and living standards rise, the demand for fresh water increases drastically. Unfortunately, many parts of the world face severe water scarcity due to climatic variations, pollution, and over-exploitation of water sources.

Water quality has also deteriorated due to untreated sewage and agricultural runoff contaminating natural water bodies, making them unfit for use. Therefore, effective water conservation measures are crucial, including water harvesting, sustainable irrigation practices, and treating wastewater before discharge.

Consequently, the conservation of water resources is not just an environmental necessity but a vital aspect of sustainable development.

Youtube Videos

Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources - Full Chapter | Class 8 Geography Ch 2
Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources - Full Chapter | Class 8 Geography Ch 2
Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation & Wildlife Resources Class 8 Social Science Concepts | BYJU'S
Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation & Wildlife Resources Class 8 Social Science Concepts | BYJU'S
Class 8 Geography Chapter 2 - Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources | Class 8
Class 8 Geography Chapter 2 - Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources | Class 8
Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation & Wildlife in One Shot | Geography - Class 8th | Umang
Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation & Wildlife in One Shot | Geography - Class 8th | Umang
Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources | Class 8 Geography Chapter 2 | Class 8
Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources | Class 8 Geography Chapter 2 | Class 8
Class-8 Geography / Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources / NCERT Chapter-2
Class-8 Geography / Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources / NCERT Chapter-2
Chapter 2: Land, soil, water | Geography Class 8 NCERT
Chapter 2: Land, soil, water | Geography Class 8 NCERT
Chapt 2 Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation & Wildlife Resources- Part 1| Class 8| Geography|NCERT
Chapt 2 Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation & Wildlife Resources- Part 1| Class 8| Geography|NCERT
Land as a Resource | Land, Soil, Water, Natural and Wildlife Vegetation | Class 8 Chapter 2
Land as a Resource | Land, Soil, Water, Natural and Wildlife Vegetation | Class 8 Chapter 2
Water as a Resource | Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resource Class 8 Geography
Water as a Resource | Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resource Class 8 Geography

Audio Book

Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.

Introduction to Water as a Resource

Unlock Audio Book

Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book

Water is a vital renewable natural resource. Three-fourths of the earth’s surface is covered with water. It is therefore appropriately called the ‘water planet’.

Detailed Explanation

Water is essential for life and covers much of our planet, which gives it the name 'water planet.' Almost 75% of the Earth's surface is water, emphasizing its importance in supporting life, ecosystems, and climate.

Examples & Analogies

Think of Earth as a giant blue marble. Just like how a marble has its different parts—color, shine, and surface—Earth has its various parts, with water being one of its most important features.

Freshwater Availability

Unlock Audio Book

Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book

Fresh water accounts for only about 2.7 per cent. Nearly 70 per cent of this occurs as ice sheets and glaciers in Antarctica, Greenland and mountain regions.

Detailed Explanation

Freshwater is very limited, making up only a small fraction (about 2.7%) of the total water on Earth. A significant portion of this freshwater is locked in ice, making it inaccessible for immediate human use. Only a tiny percentage can actually be used for drinking, agriculture, and other needs.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine a large swimming pool filled with water, but only a small cupful is clean and drinkable. This illustrates how much of the water on Earth is not readily available for human consumption.

Water Cycle

Unlock Audio Book

Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book

Its abundance only seems to vary because it is in constant motion, cycling through the oceans, the air, the land and back again, through the processes of evaporation, precipitation and run-off.

Detailed Explanation

The water cycle describes how water moves from one part of the Earth to another, continually cycling through different states: liquid, vapor, and ice. Water evaporates into the atmosphere, falls as rain, and then runs off into rivers and oceans, completing the cycle.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine water as a performer in a play, constantly changing clothes: it starts as a liquid in the ocean, puts on its vapor 'costume' as it evaporates, falls as rain, and returns back to lakes and rivers to start the cycle all over again.

Human Consumption of Water

Unlock Audio Book

Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book

Humans use huge amounts of water not only for drinking and washing but also in the process of production. An average urban Indian uses about 150 litres of water every day.

Detailed Explanation

Water is essential for various human activities, including personal use (like drinking and hygiene) and industrial uses (like agriculture and manufacturing). On average, a person uses a significant amount of water daily for various tasks.

Examples & Analogies

Consider your daily routine: brushing your teeth, taking a shower, and cooking. Each of these activities uses water, adding up to around 150 liters daily, similar to filling several large buckets.

Global Water Scarcity

Unlock Audio Book

Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book

There is scarcity of water in many regions of the world. Most of Africa, West Asia, South Asia, parts of western USA, north-west Mexico, parts of South America and entire Australia are facing shortages in fresh water supply.

Detailed Explanation

Many regions worldwide face significant water shortages due to a combination of inadequate rainfall and over-exploitation of water resources. Areas such as parts of Africa and Australia regularly experience drought, affecting both people and wildlife.

Examples & Analogies

Think of a sponge: if you use it to soak up too much water without giving it a chance to dry out, it won’t be able to absorb water effectively. Similarly, overusing water sources leads to depletion.

Water Pollution

Unlock Audio Book

Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book

Discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage, agricultural chemicals and industrial effluents in water bodies are major contaminants.

Detailed Explanation

Water pollution occurs when harmful substances enter water bodies, making them unsafe for drinking and other uses. Common sources include untreated sewage and chemicals from agriculture and industries.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine a beautiful lake filled with clear water, but then think about throwing in trash and chemicals. The lake would become dirty and unusable, much like how pollutants harm our water supply.

Water Conservation Methods

Unlock Audio Book

Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book

Water harvesting is another method to save surface runoff. Forest and other vegetation cover slow the surface runoff and replenish underground water.

Detailed Explanation

Water conservation involves strategies to use water more efficiently and ensure more is available for future use. Techniques like water harvesting and maintaining vegetation help collect and conserve water.

Examples & Analogies

Consider planting a garden: using rainwater to hydrate the plants instead of solely relying on a hose saves water. This practice can extend to larger scales, like cities utilizing rainwater systems.

Definitions & Key Concepts

Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.

Key Concepts

  • Freshwater Scarcity: A major concern due to pollution and overuse.

  • Water Cycle: The process by which water circulates in the environment.

  • Conservation Techniques: Includes methods like drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting.

Examples & Real-Life Applications

See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.

Examples

  • Rainwater harvesting systems installed in urban homes to reduce dependency on groundwater.

  • Drip irrigation systems employed in agriculture to conserve water and increase efficiency.

Memory Aids

Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • Water's the key to life, don't let it go to waste, keep it in sight, for the future's sake!

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once in a little village, a young girl saved every drop of rainwater in barrels which not only helped her family but also her entire village during drought.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • To remember freshwater conservation, think 'SAVE' - Seal leaks, Avoid waste, Value every drop, Educate others.

🎯 Super Acronyms

R.A.D. - Rainwater harvesting, Agricultural techniques, Drip irrigation.

Flash Cards

Review key concepts with flashcards.

Glossary of Terms

Review the Definitions for terms.

  • Term: Water Cycle

    Definition:

    The continuous movement of water through the atmosphere, land, and oceans, involving processes such as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

  • Term: Freshwater

    Definition:

    Water with low concentrations of dissolved salts, primarily found in rivers, lakes, and aquifers.

  • Term: Rainwater Harvesting

    Definition:

    The practice of collecting and storing rainwater for reuse before it reaches the ground.

  • Term: Irrigation

    Definition:

    The artificial application of water to soil or land to assist in the growth of crops.