1-11: Global Hydrological Cycle

Importance of this Unit to the Course

Water can exist as a solid, liquid, or vapor and has quite different physical and chemical properties in each phase. Information in this unit will be needed to understand the global energy balance changes in sea level due to global warming as well as biological and agricultural systems.

Objectives

To understand the global distribution of water substance (water, water vapor, and ice).
To understand how these reservoirs of water substance influence global temperature patterns.

Preparation for Discussion (You must complete this section before class.)

Read the summary information. (Print text for offline review; images only.)

Take the Quiz

Review additional reading material (this material is not covered in the quiz, but offers more ideas for online discussion)

USGS Water Resources Information

Discussion (online / face-to-face) (See your portfolio for due dates and times)

A major component of the course is participation in the online dialog. The following types of comments are required:

Social Comments
Knowledge-building Comments
Ethical Comments

The following may be used as discussion starters for the online dialog:

Unit Problem to Ponder:

The chemical H-O-H is responsible for several hundred deaths each year in the US due to suffocation when exposed improperly to its concentrated form. It also causes billions of dollars in damage annually to steel structures and machines. Furthermore, it is known to be a greenhouse gas. Why is this chemical not banned by the EPA?
Unit exam questions from previous years
Unit discussions from previous years, available from the current online discussion

Additional Reading