Unit 3: The hydrosphere                                                    1   2   3   4   5

5. The importance of water

a) Ecological importance of water

- Water and climate.

   Water regulates the temperature of the Earth.

   Oceans absorb a lot of solar energy, without getting too hot,

   and they then release it slowly without getting too cold.

   That is why the coastal climate is temperate.

- Water forms landscapes.

   Water transforms the landscape by eroding the rocks that form

   the Earth’s crust.

- Water and living things.

   Water is essential for life and it creates ideal living conditions on

   our planet. It is very stable and it contains substances that

   organisms need to live. Water is also the main component of living things.

b) Human uses of water

We use water:

- To satisfy the basic needs: feeding, hygiene, etc.

  (about 5 daily liters per person).

- To improve our quality of life: washing, cleaning, and eliminating waste

  (about 80 daily liters per person).

- To generate wealth: agriculture, industry, transport.

  (about 3,200 daily liters per person).

- For recreational activities: sports, tourism, etc.

To cover all those needs we need a huge quantity of water. This is why:

     - We should only use the necessary amount of it. Ways to save water

        at home can be:

             - Take a shower instead a bath.

             - Keep close the tap while we clean our teeth or soap ourselves.

             - Don´t use the loo as a wastepaper basket.

             - Install save water mechanisms within the cistern and the taps.

     - We should not waste water or pollute it.

     - We should always treat or purify it and reuse it whenever possible.

5.1. The following sentences are wrong, correct them:

a. The coastal climate is temperate because water releases solar energy

    very quickly.

b. Water can not transform Earth´s surface by eroding rocks.

c. Water is not essential for living beings because is the less important

    component of them.

5.2. Water is very important for us and it is a limited resource.

        So that we have to save as much water as we can.

        Relate every way to save water with the correspondent picture.