The Water Cycle Flashcards
All 6 cards in this deck
Name the four main processes of the water cycle.
Evaporation, transpiration, condensation and precipitation.
Why is the water cycle important to living organisms?
It continually supplies fresh (liquid) water, which organisms need as a solvent for reactions and transport in cells.
What is potable water?
Water that is safe to drink — it has low levels of dissolved salts and microbes, but it is not chemically pure.
What are the steps in producing potable water by desalination using distillation?
e.g. making drinking water from seawater in an area of drought- Heat the seawater so the water evaporates, leaving the salt behind
- Cool the water vapour so it condenses
- Collect the liquid water — now potable.
How does reverse osmosis produce potable water from seawater?
Seawater is forced at high pressure through a partially permeable membrane that lets water through but holds back the dissolved salt ions.
What is desalination?
Removing dissolved salts from salt water, such as seawater, to make potable (drinkable) water, e.g. in areas of drought.