| A | B |
|---|
| estuary | An area where a river meets the ocean. |
| evaporation | When the fastest moving molecule escape and form a gas. |
| transpiration | The movment of water from plants into the atmosphere in the form of a gas. |
| condensation | When paticles of H2O in a cooling gas slow down and come together to form droplets of water. (Clouds are formed by condensation) |
| precipitation | The release of water from the clouds in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail. |
| wetlands | Ecosystems that are surrounded by water part of the year and have a lot of plants which act as filters to clean pollution including chemicals from the water. |
| saturated zone | The area below the water table where open spaces are filled with water. |
| unsaturated zone | An area between the ground surface and the water table. |
| recharge | Water coming into the groundwater system from the surface |
| aquifer | An underground reservoir of water that can be extracted for surface use. |
| water cycle | A cycle that involves the processes of evaporation, condensation and precipitation. |
| water pollution | The discharge of harmful substances into the water supply. |
| microbiologist | A scientist who studies microorganisms in our water supply. |
| chemist | A scientist who test the water we drink. |
| Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) | The EPA works to develop and enforce regulations that implement environmental laws enacted by Congress. |
| ppm | parts per million |
| ppb | parts per billion |
| 1996 Safe Water Drinking Act | Legislation that strengthened the health standards for drinking water and protects water sources from pollution. |
| 1987 Clean Water Act | This act provided money to states to build sewage and waste-water treatment plants. |
| Water Conservation | finding ways to reduce the amount of water that you use. |
| ground water | Water held underground in layers of rock and sediment |
| soil water | The part of groundwater that is held within openings in the soil. |
| surface water | Water at the Earth's surface. (Ex. lakes, rivers, streams, ponds.) |
