11

EARTH SCIENCE
QUARTER 1 – MODULE 6

Water Resources

1
 What I Need to Know

Water is all around us. If you look at any globe or map of the world, you can see
that it is mostly blue. These blue areas represent the oceans, seas, and lakes on earth.

Water is a very important resource on earth. Almost every activity on earth

needs water. Water is important to all of us. Each of us drinks about 1.5 liters of water
every day. We depend on its good quality and quantity for drinking, cooking, cleaning,
recreation, use in industry and growing crops. Can you imagine what your life would
be like without water? In this module you will learn more about water.

The Philippines boasts of many different kinds of natural water forms, such as
bays, rivers, lakes, falls, gulfs, straits, and swamps. The bodies of water and its
surrounding environment not only support the survival of diverse organisms for food
but are also used for other economic activities. The country is endowed with rich
natural resources, including water, which are essential for the country’s economic
development.

With the rapid increase in population, urbanization, and industrialization

reduce the quality of Philippine waters, especially in densely populated areas and
regions of industrial and agricultural activities. The discharge of domestic and
industrial wastewater and agricultural runoff has caused extensive pollution of the
receiving water-bodies. This effluent is in the form of raw sewage, detergents,
fertilizer, heavy metals, chemical products, oils, and even solid waste. Each of these
pollutants has a different noxious effect that influences human livelihood and
translates into economic costs.

Good luck and I hope you will learn a lot from this module and eventually
pursue science courses in the future.

The module covers:

 Lesson 1 – Water Resources

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Identify the various water resources on Earth
2. Explain how different activities affect the quality and availability of water for
human use

2
 What I Know

Direction: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate
sheet of paper.
1. Which of the following contains the greatest amount of water by volume on
earth?
A. atmosphere C. groundwater
B. glaciers and ice sheets D. oceans
2. What term best describes the never-ending transfer of water between the
atmosphere and the surface of the earth?
A. hydrologic cycle C. nitrogen cycle
B. oxygen cycle D. phosphorous cycle
3. It is the condensed water vapor that falls back to the surface of the earth.
A. cloud C. precipitation
B. groundwater D. table water
4. Of the following processes, which is responsible for getting water into the
atmosphere?
A. condensation C. precipitation
B. evaporation D. sublimation
5. Seawater is composed of different minerals. The mineral with the greatest
percentage in seawater is .
A. calcium sulfate C. magnesium sulfate
B. magnesium chloride D. sodium chloride
6. Groundwater has many uses. It can be used as drinking water or as a source of
water for the producers. On which region is groundwater mostly stored?
A. discharge zone C. unsaturated zone
B. recharge zone D. zone of aeration
7. It is the upper boundary of the zone of saturation.
A. aquifer C. zone of aeration
B. water table D. impermeable bedrock
8. One of these is the correct sequence of the underground zones. Which is this?
A. water table, zone of aeration, zone of saturation
B. zone of aeration, zone of saturation, water table
C. zone of aeration, water table, zone of saturation
D. zone of saturation, water table, zone of aeration
9. When spaces between rock particles fill with groundwater, the rock is
A. eroded C. saturated
B. evaporated D. weathered
10. Excessive withdrawal of groundwater may result to which of the following?
A. eutrophication C. poisoning of fishes
B. land subsidence D. water pollution

3
Lesson
Water Resources
1

What’s In

The La Mesa Watershed Reservation is a protected area that preserves the only
major watershed in Metro Manila, Philippines.The area is under the joint
administration, supervision and control of the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System. La Mesa
Nature Watershed Reservation is called the lungs of Metro Manila because it absorbs
around 3% of the total carbon emission of the metropolis. It contains the last
remaining rainforest of its size in the Metro Manila. The reserve is home to La Mesa
Dam, Metro Manila’s main source of drinking water.

[Untitled illustration of a Watershed]. La Mesa Nature Reserve. Retrieved from https://explora.ph/attraction/50/la-

mesa- nature-reserve-watershed#&gid=1&pid=1

4
 What’s New

Activity 1. Water is Life: Crossword Puzzle

Direction: Fill in the crossword puzzle based on the clues given. Match the number of
sentence to the boxes placed across or down the grid.

Across

1. The process or act of defiling.

5. When water fades away or disappears.
6. A region that has little or no rainfall that is usually sandy and without trees.
7. The gradual process of being eroded by natural forces.
9. A prolonged period of time without rainfall.
Down

5
2. The distribution of moisture in the forms of rain, snow, sleet, ice or hail.
3. The process of compressing air and water that normally results in precipitation.
4. Sending off moisture in vapor form
8. A tremendous flow of water over what is usually dry land.
10. The science that pertains to water in terms of its properties, laws, and how it's
distributed.
11. A layer of earth or rock that contains water.
12. Water that is made solid by cold water.
13. To drip through small holes.
14. A method for landscaping that occurs in arid areas.
15. A hole that is dug in the ground to get water, oil, gas, or steam.

What is It

DISTRIBUTION OF WATER ON EARTH

Earth’s Water.[online image].Retrieved from https://olc.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/sco/E7B1C4DE-C187-5EDB-3EF2-

897802DEA3BF/Nasa/images/image18.png

Water is the most abundant substance on the Earth’s surface. About 71% of
the Earth’s surface is covered with water, most of which is found in the oceans. In fact,
97.5% of Earth's water, nearly all of it, is in the Earth’s oceans. This means that just
2.5% of Earth's water is fresh water, water with low concentrations of salts. Most
freshwater is found as ice in the vast glaciers of Greenland and the immense ice
sheets of Antarctica. Most liquid freshwater is found under the Earth’s surface as
groundwater, while the rest is found in lakes, rivers, and streams, and water vapor in
the sky.

6
 HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
The unending exchange of water among the continents, surface water, and the
atmosphere is called the hydrologic cycle or the water cycle. This cycle of water
maintains the quantity of water on earth.Water evaporates from the surface of hot
water. Evaporation is the process whereby fast moving molecules in a liquid escape
from the free surface of the liquid, a process whereby a liquid turns to gas. When
rising water vapor reached the top it also cooled because it gives off heat to the cold air
on top and changed phase from gas to liquid. This process wherebywater changes
from gas to liquid is called condensation. Water vapor condensed as it is cooled to
condensation temperature.
The water vapor mixes with air and is carried with air upward. Condensed
water vapor falls to the ground when it becomes heavy. Condensed water vapor that
falls to the ground is called precipitation. Precipitation may be in the form of rain,
hail, snow, and sleet and may fall either on land or on bodies of water.

Water Cycle. [online image]. Retrieved from https://gpm.nasa.gov/education/sites/default/files/article_images/Water-Cycle-Art2A.png

Evaporation, condensation, and precipitation are important parts of the water

cycle. However, they are not the only ones.Runoff, for instance, describes a variety of
ways liquid water moves across land. Snowmelt, for example, is an important type of
runoff produced as snow or glaciers melt and form streams or pools.Transpiration is
another important part of the water cycle. Transpiration is the process of water vapor
being released from plants and soil. Plants release water vapor
through microscopic pores called stomata. The opening of stomata is strongly

7
influenced by light, and so is often associated with the sun and the process of
evaporation. Evapotranspiration is the combined components of evaporation and
transpiration, and is sometimes used to evaluate the movement of water in the
atmosphere.
Reservoirs are simply where water exists at any point in the water cycle. An
underground aquifer can store liquid water, for example. The ocean is a reservoir. Ice
sheets are reservoirs. The atmosphere itself is a reservoir of water vapor.
Precipitation reaching the land areas may either flow as runoff and become part
of the streams and rivers eventually reaching the oceans or may seep right into the
soil. The seepage of precipitation into the earth is called infiltration. Infiltration of
water is possible because there are spaces between soil or rock particles. Pores are
usually filled with air that is forced out as water enters these pores. The water that
fills the pores between rock particles is called infiltrates. Locations where surface
water infiltrates the
groundwater system are known as recharge zones, while places where groundwater
flows or seeps out at the surface are discharge zones.

EARTH’S FRESHWATER: GROUNDWATER

The water you get through a water pump is called groundwater. Groundwater
is the water that fills the tiny spaces between alluvial material (sand, gravel, silt, clay)
or the crevices or fractures in rocks. Nearly 95% of rural residents rely on
groundwater for drinking supply and for washing soiled clothes. People have also
devised ways to access groundwater. Openings may be bored into the zone of
saturation forming wells. A well may dry up during dry season when the water table
falls below the normal level. Irrigated croplands use groundwater. Groundwater is also
used for industries.

How ground water occurs in rocks. [online image]. https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/groundwater-saturated-zone-soilrock-below-

8
land-surface

9
 Another source of freshwater is surface water. Surface water includes
rivers,streams and creeks, lakes and ponds, reservoirs such as dams and watershed,
and cascade and waterfall.Sources of surface water such as a river are more accessible
than ground water.
Freshwater from surface water is not used immediately as potable or drinking water. It
has to undergo purification in filter plants for it to be fit for drinking. A good example
of filter plant is the Balara Filter Plant in Balara, Diliman, Quezon City. The water is
carried by huge pipes from La Mesa Dam. The water is screened to remove suspended
particles. Aluminum sulfate and calcium oxide are mixed with water. The mixture is
added as soon as water enters the plant. A gelatinous substance, aluminum hydroxide,
is formed. The tiny particles in water aggregate with the gelatinous aluminum
hydroxide to form big particles. In the sedimentation ponds, the aggregates settle to
the bottom. The water is passed through a filter bed with grains of sands and activated
carbon. To remove microorganisms, chlorine gas is added to water to produce
hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid. Hydrochloric acid kills the microorganisms
while hypochlorous acid bleaches the water. The disinfected water may be aerated by
spraying it into air prior to distribution to different households and establishments.

SALTWATER: OCEAN WATER

Oceans and seas are interconnected bodies of seawater. The five biggest bodies
of water are the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the
Antarctic Ocean. Of the five bodies of water, Pacific Ocean is by far the largest in terms
of volume. It is also the deepest. The percentage of salt in a given volume of seawater
is called salinity.
Ocean water is a source of dissolved minerals. We get the salt we use everyday
from seawater.Salt is produced by first confining seawater in evaporating ponds. Then,
water is allowed to evaporate. After all the water has evaporated, salt crystals are left
on the ground. These are then harvested and sold in the market. Ocean water is also a
source of food. Fish is the main catch and other seafood and shell foods.

HUMAN IMPACTS ON EARTH’S WATER

Water is one of the basic needs of humans. Without water, it will be impossible
for us to exist. But, nowadays, clean water is becoming scarce. Some causes of water
scarcity are natural, others are human -made. However, the impact of natural
processes can be aggravated by human activities.
Contaminants such as pesticides and fertilizers sometimes find their way into
groundwater supplies. Ifgroundwater is extracted beside sewerage system or
anunderground chemical storage tank, it is possible foruntreated waste from septic
tanks and toxic chemicalsfrom underground storage tanks to contaminate

10
groundwater over time. Road salt, toxic substances from mining sites, and used motor
oil also contaminate groundwater. Drinking contaminated groundwater can have
serious health effects. Diseases such as hepatitis and dysentery may be caused by
contamination from septic tank waste. Poisoning may be caused by toxins that have
leaked into well water supplies. Wildlife can also be harmed by contaminated
groundwater. Other long term effects such as certain types of cancer may also result
from exposure to polluted water. Over extraction of groundwater can lead to lowered
water table. Thus, the water table often dries up during summer. Ground subsidence
may also occur.
Pollution of normal water destroys part of water resources. Nowadays, there are
many sources of water pollution: industrial wastes, chemicals used in agriculture,
disposal of human excreta, and release of untreated sewage from municipal work, oil
spills from giant ships, mine tailings, and household wastes.
Domestic waste is another source of water pollution in rivers. These wastes are
responsible for the destruction of the river’s aquatic life. Eutrophication is a
phenomenon in which water in rivers and lake becomes rich in nutrients that cause
excessive growth of algae. Eventually, a great number of algae may die at the end of
the growing season and sink to the bottom. This causes massive growth of bacteria the
following year which also eventually die. Decomposition of decayed bacteria uses up
oxygen, thereby, depleting the water with oxygen needed by valuable fishes. Nutrients
in water may come from phosphates in detergents used in households and nitrates
from
fertilizers used in farms.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/12/19/denr-tests-manila-bay-water-quality-ahead-of-rehab

11
 What’s More

Activity 2. Water Cycle: Simulation Activity

Perform the experiment below and try to answer the guide questions.

Materials Needed:
Wide-mouthed glass jar (heat resistant) with transparent cover
Hot water
Ice cubes, crushed
Procedure:
1. Pour hot water to a height of 3-cm to the wide-mouthed glass jar.
2. Cover the jar and place crushed ice cubes on the cover.
3. Observe what happens inside the jar.
4. Record your observations.
Observation

Guide Questions:
1. What is the relationship between water cycle and the 3 states of matter?

2. Does the earth have more or less water now than 1,000 years ago? Explain

3. Do you think water cycle is important? Why or why not?

12
 What I Have Learned

Activity 3. Water! Water! Water is Everywhere.

Identify the following. Select from the given choice inside the box.

WORD BANK

evaporation groundwater runoff precipitation

infiltration salinity condensation eutrophication

1. It is the process whereby fast moving molecules in a liquid

escape from the free surface of the liquid, a process whereby
a liquid turns to gas.

2. Most liquid freshwater is found under the Earth’s surface

as , while the rest is found in lakes,
rivers, and streams, and water vapor in the sky.

3. The process wherein water changes from gas to liquid is called

.

4. Condensed water vapor that falls to the ground is called

.

5. It describes a variety of ways liquid water moves acrossland.

6. It is the process of water vapor being released from plants and

soil.

7. It refers to the seepage of precipitation into the earth.

8. The water you get through a water pump is called .

9. It refers to the percentage of salt in a given volume of seawater

10. It is a phenomenon in which water in rivers and lake becomes

rich in nutrients that cause excessive growth of algae.

13
 What I Can Do

Activity 4. Every Drop Counts!

Direction: Our Earth has only a certain amount of water and will never have more. We
need to keep our water clean and not waste it. In what ways do you work to conserve
water clean and not waste it?

14
 Assessment

Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate
sheet of paper.
1. Which of the following is the process by which liquid water turns into gas?
A. condensation C. precipitation
B. evaporation D. sublimation
2. Clouds are formed from which process?
A. condensation C. precipitation
B. evaporation D. sublimation
3. What is the percentage of Earth’s surface that is covered by water?
A. 50% B. 65% C. 71% D. 90%
4. It is the process by which water is released in atmosphere by plants.
A. condensation C. precipitation
B. evaporation D. transpiration
5. It refers to the introduction of chemical, physical, or biological agents into water
that degrade itsquality and adversely affect the organisms that depends on it.
A. eutrophication C. salinity
B. evotranspiration D. water pollution
6. Eutrophication is caused by:
A. nuclear energy
B. cleaning up waterways
C. groundwater infiltration
D. runoff of excessive fertilizers and nutrients
7. It refers to the water that is beneath the earth’s surface in sediment or rock
formation.
A. freshwater C. saltwater
B. groundwater D. watershed
8. Source of ocean pollution include:
A. oil spills C. direct dumping of wastewater
B. activities on land D. all of the above
9. Permeability refers to:
A. the percentage of pore space in the rock
B. the ability of a solid to allow fluids to pass through
C. the process by which plants release water vapor to the atmosphere
D. the amount of water vapor in the air relative to the maximum amount of
water vapor the air can hold
10. Which of the following rocks has the highest permeability?
A. an unfractured shale
B. a cemented sandstones
C. an uncemented sandstone
D. all of these rocks have approximately the same permeability

15
 Additional
Activities
PERMEABILITY
Materials needed:
Pencil, sharpened, stopwatch, sand, clay, gravel, ruler, graduated cylinder, rubber
band, 3 large plastic cups, cheesecloth, 300-mL water, and 1 empty mineral water
plastic container (halved horizontally)
Procedure:
1. Make 7-10 holes at the bottom of each plastic cup using the pencil nail.
2. Cover the holes with cheesecloth and tie the cloth with a rubber band.
3. Measure 3-cm from top of each cup. Mark it with a pencil line.
4. Fill cup #1 with sand up to the pencil line. To cups #2 and #3, do the same but
place clay and gravel instead.
5. Position the halved plastic container as shown. They will be used to support the
plastic cup and contents.
6. Pour 100-mL water into the plastic cup.
7. Record the time it takes for water to drip through the holes of the cup.
8. Transfer the water collected in the receiving container to the graduated cylinder.
Get its volume in mL.
9. Repeat steps # 6, 7 and 8 to cups 2 and 3.
10. Calculate the rate of drainage of each cup using this equation:

Volume of water collected

Rate of Drainage = Time it takes for water to drain

11. Calculate the amount of water (in %) retained in the soils in cups 1, 2 and 3.

100 mL − volume of water collected (mL)

% of water retained = 100 − mL x 100

Guide Questions:
1. In which cup is water free to pass through the greatest? Why?

2. In which cup is water retained the greatest? Why?

3. Which soil sample is the most permeable? Least permeable? Why?

16
 Answer Key

What I Know
1. D
2. A 3. C 5. D 7. B 9. C
4. B 6. C 8. C 10. B
Activity 1. Water is Life: Crossword Puzzle

Activity 2. Water Cycle: Simulation Activity

1. Water can exist either as a solid (ice), a liquid (water), or a gas (water vapor). Water
on the on surface of Earth is constantly changing between these three states. Ice can
change to become water or water vapor. Water can change to become ice or water
vapor.
2. Through water cycle, the amount of water remains constant 1000 years ago and at
present day.
3. The water cycle is an extremely important process because it enables the
availability of water for all living organisms and regulates weather patterns on our
planet. If water didn't naturally recycle itself, we would run out of clean water, which
is essential to life.

17
Activity 4. Every Drop Counts!
Answers may vary.

Assessment
1. B 3. C 5. D 7. B 9. B
2. A 4. D 6. D 8. D 10. C

Additional Activities
Answers may vary.

References
Bayo-ang, Roly.B., Maria Lourdes G. Coronacion, Annamae T. Jorda, and Anna
Jamille Restubog. Earth and Life Science for Senior High School. Quezon City,
Metro Manila: Educational Resources Corporation., 2016.

Bureau of Secondary Education. (n.d.) Project EASE (Effective and Alternative

Secondary Education), Intergrated Science I. [PDF]

De Silva, et al (2016). Earth Science [PDF]. Commission on Higher Education, Diliman,

Quezon City

Irfan, Umair (2018). A volcano in the Philippines is Threatening a Major Eruption.

Retrieved from http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/mayon

Miller, G.Tyler, et al. (2014). Earth Science. Philippine Edition. Ortigas Avenue, Pasig
City. Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd (Philippine Branch)

http://www.wepa- db.net/policies/state/philippines/overview.htm#:~:text=Water
%20resources%20 of%20the%20Philippines,areas%2C%20especially%20during
%20dry%20season.

https://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/science/water/

https://www.havefunteaching.com/resource/science/resources/water-conservation-
worksheet

18