Water Facts
About what percent of Earth's water is salt water?
97%
Give four examples of non-renewable energy sources.
coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium
What is a gas that traps heat in the atmosphere?
a greenhouse gas
What is the variety of living things in a place?
biodiversity
What are natural resources?
(Bonus 100: Give three examples.)
materials from nature, such as water, minerals, and forests
What is physical water scarcity?
when there isn’t enough water naturally available
Give four examples of renewable energy sources.
solar, sunlight, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal
What does it mean to be carbon neutral?
when no net CO2 is added to the atmosphere
What was the cause of the last mass extinction?
an asteroid impact
Name three ways to combat food insecurity.
greenhouses, hydroponics, cultured meat
Name two countries that might experience physical water scarcity.
Saudi Arabia, Australia, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Libya, Iran, Afghanistan, Mexico
Name one benefit of using renewable energy sources.
they reduce greenhouse gas emissions
What is one of the drawbacks of using desalination plants as a means to get more freshwater?
It requires a lot of electricity
Why are scientists worried about the sixth mass extinction?
because of rapid loss of species caused by human activities
About what percentage of people still do not have access to electricity at home?
Between 5-10%
(Over 600 million people still do not have access to electricity at home!)
What is economic water scarcity?
when water is available but people cannot access it due to lack of infrastructure or money
Why is nuclear energy NOT considered a renewable energy source?
because it relies on finite uranium resources
What percent of the Earth's freshwater is frozen?
Bonus (200 points): What percent of Earth's water is drinkable?
Bonus (200 points): What percent of Earth's water is saltwater?
About 69% (two thirds) of freshwater is frozen.
About 1% of Earth's water is fresh and drinkable/obtainable
About 97% of water on Earth is saltwater
Name two factors driving the current destruction of biodiversity.
habitat loss and climate change
(200 Bonus: what are some of the causes of habitat loss?)
Is food insecurity a problem in developed countries?
Yes
Why do some countries use desalination? Name the kind of countries that do this.
to turn seawater into freshwater; dry, arid countries like UAE or Saudi Arabia use it--also countries with major coastline
For one renewable energy source, give one positive and one negative, and explain why it might not be used more widely.
Multiple answers accepted
Why do some places not get enough sunlight to make solar farms worth it?
because of their latitude or frequent cloud cover
What is the difference between a mass extinction and normal extinction?
mass extinction involves a large number of species dying off quickly
What is one reason why food insecurity can happen in developed countries?
poverty, lack of access to affordable healthy food, or income inequality