For example, the oceans make it possible for life to exist on earth because they create more moderate temperatures by absorbing large amounts of solar heat (Riley 3). Otherwise, it would become too hot for plants and animals to survive. Water also helps organisms to regulate their internal body temperatures (Pidwirny 1).
Water has an extremely high surface tension. Riley defines surface tension as being "the attractive force exerted by the molecules below the surface on those at the liquid-air interface" (6). This means that water is "adhesive and elastic, and tends to aggregate in drops rather than spread out over a surface as a thin film" (Pidwirny 1). The surface tension of water allows for the hydrogen bonding of water molecules, which gives water the ability to wet surfaces by adhering to it. It also lets water stick to structures, even though gravity is pulling it downwards. This is important to life because plants need to be able to transport water and nutrients from their roots. Animals also need to be able to transport nutrients through their bloodstream (Riley 6). The high surface tension of water makes this possible.
Works Cited
"Water." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Online. 2010. Web. 12 March 2010
Pidwirny, Michael. "Physical Properties of Water." Fundamentals of Physical Geography, 2nd Edition. 2006. Web. 12 March 2010
Riley, Charles. The Unique and Unusual Properties of Water. n.d. Web. 12 March 2010
The case of the World Commission on Dams is a good example of how this tendency to centralize water resource management can be mitigated, if not completely eliminated. The political reality of the world is that government represents more than just laws and policies, just as management and governance has to be about more than just enacting laws and edicts, but should reflect the values of the community and the
Although the Murray-Darling River covers only about 14% of Australia's irrigated land, 50% of Australia's sheep and 25% of Australia's cattle rely on this source. Also, 40% of the nation's rice crop and 80% of its canned fruit product relies on the Murray-Darling River Complex. In all, three-quarters of Australia's water comes from the Murray-Darling River (Hussainy, p. 205). Of course there are conflicts when so much is at stake.
But after local wastewater plants were "...upgraded and farms' management practices were improved, the amount of phosphorus declined and the copper sulfate was no long considered necessary" (Royte, 2007). The Times' story reports that to prevent the dumping of partially treated sewage water into the waterways, septic tanks need to be upgraded and "cleaning the water in sewage treatments plants even more thoroughly before it is discharged into the
With this information, people can make informed decisions regarding the water they consume. Which additives are healthful? Which are not? These are examples of only some of the questions responsible consumers should have when choosing their water. Regarding the use of plastics, the solution is simple. By simply changing their habits from plastic water bottles to stainless steel or any of the other alternatives, not only is the consumer
The Leblanc alkali production processes were especially pernicious, but they followed along the lines of previous industrial processes. In other words, the first British environmental legislation was a response not so much to a qualitative change in industrial processes and their environmental impact but more to a quantitative increase in sources of pollution that had up to that point been (if only barely) tolerable. Legislation Arising From Public Anger At the
Cadmium in Wastewater and Drinking Water The importance of efficiently controlling and monitoring potential toxins in water systems is extremely important. The potential contaminant known as Cadmium (Cd) is a naturally occurring trace metal that is regularly found in various types of ores. Its most common commercial uses are in the metal plating and coating of transportation vessels, household-cooking utensils, machinery and nickel-cadmium batteries (Advanced Purification Engineering Corporation, 2010). As
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now