FFBIO 130 Exam 1 Review
Chapter 1 – Intro lectures
This chapter will not be on the test explicitly. However, you should watch the lectures as they
provide valuable background information that you WILL need to know to understand other
content in this course. For example, what elements are essential for life? What does “organic”
mean in a chemistry context?
Chapter 2 - Water: Essential Resource
Make sure you study the water cycle diagram from this Unit.
o Be able to describe the % distribution of ALL water between salty, ocean water and
freshwater. Also, how is freshwater divided up between common “reservoirs” (atmosphere,
soil & aquifers, plants & animals, glaciers and icecaps, surface water – lakes, rivers and
streams).
-Saline ground water-0.93
-Saline lakes=0.07 Saline groundwater,Saline lakes, Oceans=total Global water
Oceans-96.5%
-Groundwater-30.1%
-Glaciers and ice caps-68.6% Glaciers and ice caps,Groundwater=Freshwater 12.5%
Lakes-20.1%
Ice and snow-73%
Atmospheric water-.022%
Biological water-0.22%
Rivers-0.46%
Less than 1% of water is NOT salty or frozen
-100 times more water is stored in the ground than in lakes and rives
-much of the 1% NOT salty-frozen water is clean
Biological contaminants (pathogens, bacteria, etc. from unsanitary waste)
-Chemical contaminants from industrial practices
-saltwater intrusion
Groundwater-is water that infiltrates soils and is stored in aquifers.
-Water cycle-precipitation, condensation, evaporation, transpiration, evapotranspiration, runoff,
infiltration, recharge
Water Table
-Recharge area-area (on surface) from which water enters
-Upper surface of groundwater
-Saturated zone-below water table,porous materials are saturated with water
-Unsaturated zone- is above the water table
o How LONG is a water molecule in these different Earth reservoirs (on average – just
know reservoirs with 2 longest and 2 shortest times)?
, 2 Shortest times: Biosphere (living things): 1 week, Atmosphere (weather): 1-3 weeks
2 Longest times: Ocean: 4,000 years, Glaciers: 1,000 years, Groundwater 2 weeks-10,000 years.
o Be able to define the following transfer processes for water from on reservoir to another
(also known as “The Water Cycle!”):
§ precipitation, condensation, evaporation, transpiration, evapotranspiration, runoff, infiltration,
recharge
Precipitation-condensed water falling as rain, snow or ice
Condensation-water vapor becomes liquid water as air cools
Evaporation-water is purified as water molecules escape liquid water and (any dissolved
contaminants) and the resulting water vapor travels to the atmosphere
o Define the following terms that descry nbe where water is stored”
Aquifer (including confined aquifer), lakes, rivers, streams, canals, wetlands
What regions of the world tend to have the highest and lowest precipitation rates (compare
tropics versus sub-tropics)? How does this impact water distribution, globally?
-Aquifer-layers of porous materials (rocks/soils) that store water underground, sometimes far
below surface-an underground bed or layer of porous rock, sediment, or soil that yields water
-Lakes and Reservoirs- A low spot where surface runoff accumulates
-reservoirs are man-made lakes
-Rivers, streams, creeks, canals- run off flowing from precipitation
-Canals are man-made
-Freshwater wetlands-marshes, bogs, swamps, fens.
Lowest precipitation-Africa, northern Asia and the Western U.S. states receive low levels.
Highest precipitation- ⅔ of global precipitation fall in the tropics
Runoff (precipitation reaching oceans through rivers and stream) is much higher in tropical
regions. Global convention currents, the rain shadow effect and other geographical factors (land
mass distribution) make precipitation around the globe ( and the U.S.) very uneven.
Asia has the most groundwater by far
What is the difference between consumptive and non-consumptive water withdrawals?
-Non-consumptive-water can be returned to the source, after being clean includes many
industrial uses, washing and flushing of water in homes, etc.
Consumptive-water is not returned to source, but is lost to evaporation or percolates into ground.
Includes most of irrigation crops.
What are the primary uses for water in the world? (Hint, agriculture, domestic and
industry). Which of these uses the MOST water worldwide? What does the industrial
sector use water FOR, most commonly?
Agriculture is the primary use of water in the world (86% global water use).
Industrial sector uses water as a coolant energy in energy production facilities (power plants)
heat up homes for people.
Which continent uses the most freshwater? ASIA
Which water uses consume the most water in the U.S., and how does this vary by region?