Recall
This is the percentage of Earth’s surface that is covered by water.
What is 71%
This underground layer stores water-bearing rock.
What is an aquifer?
Activities within a watershed, like agriculture and industry, can affect this downstream resource.
What is water quality?
Industrial waste and agricultural chemicals often pollute this type of water source.
What is groundwater?
Fossil fuels are considered non-renewable because they take this long to form.
What are millions of years?
The majority of Earth’s freshwater is found in this form.
What are ice caps and glaciers?
Plants are involved in the water cycle through this process.
What is transpiration?
This renewable resource is sustainable when managed, though it still emits some greenhouse gases.
What is biomass?
It’s crucial to manage these types of resources because they take millions of years to replenish.
What are non-renewable resources?
This difference makes solar energy more environmentally friendly compared to fossil fuels.
What is that solar energy is renewable and produces less pollution than fossil fuels?
This process involves water moving from Earth’s surface to the atmosphere.
What is evaporation?
An area of land that drains into a particular river, lake, or ocean is called this.
What is a watershed?
What is the number of Duke Energy Nuclear Reactor Plants in the Carolinas?
What is 6?
Using non-renewable resources for energy production has this significant environmental drawback.
What is the release of greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming?
Rainwater that moves into the soil increases this resource in a region.
What is groundwater?
This source of energy drives the water cycle.
What is the Sun?
This type of renewable energy relies on moving water.
What is hydroelectric energy?
This impact of renewable resources on energy policies helps reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
What is the reduction of carbon emissions?
This ocean process distributes nutrients across marine ecosystems.
What are ocean currents?
Contaminants in the hydrosphere can have this effect on ecosystems and human health.
What is water contamination affecting ecosystems and human health?
Water stored in underground layers of soil and rock is known by this term.
What is groundwater?
Organic materials like plants and animals produce this type of energy.
What is biomass energy?
Protecting the quality of freshwater has these long-term benefits, including biodiversity and safe drinking water.
What is preventing habitat loss and ensuring safe drinking water for future generations?
This renewable energy source harnesses heat from within the Earth and can be used to generate electricity or heat buildings directly, making it one of the most sustainable energy resources due to its low emissions and constant availability.
What is geothermal energy?
Wind energy is considered renewable because of this unique characteristic of the resource.
What is that wind is unlimited and does not get used up when converted to energy?