Water Cycle Activity

1. The water cycle is a process where water is continuously moved through the environment. The stages of the water cycle are evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

2. The water cycle has no beginning or end. It is continuous.

3. If you had a puddle on a sunny day the heat from the sun would cause the water to evaporate. When it reached a high enough point it would cool and begin to condensate on particles in the air. When the weight of the water got to heavy the water would begin to fall as rain.

4.

Ocean Pollution-Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Ocean Pollution-The Great American Garbage Patch

Annotated Bibliography


http://science.howstuffworks.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch.htm
"Why is the world's biggest landfill in the Pacific Ocean?"
This site talked about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It also talked about the size and location of it. Also it has information on the fact that this is the world's largest garbage dump. Facts on the amounts of plastics in these waters is also included.

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/the-worlds-rubbish-dump-a-garbage-tip-that-stretches-from-hawaii-to-japan-778016.html
"The world's rubbish dump: a garbage tip that stretches from Hawaii and Japan"
This website discusses the location of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Also the amounts of trash and what kinds of things are found in these waters. There is research from multiple scientist.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/great_pacific_garbage_patch.php
"Out of Sight, Out of Mind"
This site talks about the location and size of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It also talks about the trash found in this area. The problems it causes are also discussed.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-great-pacific-garbage-patch.htm
"What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?"
This website discusses the whole problem of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It discusses the effects on life and the enviroment. It also talks about the fact that it may be to late to help.

Essential Questions:Ocean Pollution

What, specifically about your topic, are you going to research?I am going to research the human causes and effects of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
What conclusions did you come to? What do you recommend average citizens do to make a difference? Be specific. This is the main part of your assignment. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the world's largest garbage dump. Every year 10% of the produced plastic ends up in the ocean and it has accumulated to the point that 90% of the trash in the ocean is plastic. It gets there from spilled and lost material from plastic companies. The plastic that the animals ingest are ingested by the humans that eat them. Average citizens could recycle plastics to keep them out of the ocean. Also they could make sure all trash was correctly disposed of.
What would happen if, worst-case scenario, nobody listened to your recommendations? If no one listened to my recommendations the ocean will get more polluted and start having harsher affects on people across the globe. Not preventing more pollution in this body of water could create harasher side affects on humans. Also it could end up destroying habitats in the Pacific.
What would happen if, best-case scenario, everybody listened to your recommendations? If people did listen to my recommendations it could help save all life that relys on the water. It could save the habitats and lives of all life in and around the Pacific Ocean.

Penny Write-Up

Observing Water's Properties

Procedure Overview: Place a penny on a piece of paper. Predict how many drops of water before it spills over the edge. Add one drop of water at a time until the water overflows.

Prediction:15 drops

Outcome:0 drops

Explanation: Cohesion caused the water from turning into a thin film and spilling over right away and adhesion kept the water on the penny.

Mekong River

Picture by Michael S. Yamashita


Becca and myself visited the Mekong River in Southeastern Asia to examine the human environmental interactions in the lower basin area. There are over 1,300 species of fish in the twelfth longest river in the world. But, we found out much more then what we came for. We also found out how much the river impacts the lives and cultures of the native people living around the river. The upper Mekong river is fed from melting snow from surrounding mountains. The lower Mekong River is fed by tributaries and monsoons. This river flows through the countries China, Tibet, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar. This lower basin is the main support for about 6 million people. But, there are many more who are affected because of trading of fish from the River. The water that nourishes the farm land in Thailand is seasonal but the amount of crop produced is enough to support them and the surrounding trading countries for a whole year. There are many skilled fishermen along the Mekong river that know many different techniques for catching fish that are traded all around the world. This river helps many survive and if anything were to happen to it, the millions that depend on it as a resource would suffer greatly. The human environment interaction is healthy because they are taking care of the river, they don't deplete the river's supply of fish, and they don't have trash dumps in the Mekong River. This is a beautiful place with rich soil, healthy animals, and many plants. The healthy features are key to the survival of humans in this area and many surrounding areas.

Earthquake Webquest

1a. Earthquakes generally occur along the faults where the plates meet.

1b. Earthquakes occur more specifically along the western coast of the Americas and along the eastern coast of Asia.

2. I think that these are the areas that earthquakes occur because faults occur where plates meet and as the plates move along the faults pressure is created and when it is released it creates waves causing earthquakes.

3. This area is called the Ring of Fire.

4a. The earthquake that is closest to Manitou Springs was at Hahns Peak.





4b. The earthquake had a magnitude of 3.2 and it happened on January 15, 2009 at 7:10 pm.





4c. People would not have been able to feel this earthquake because of its low magnitude.





4d. The ground shaking from this earthquake would cause minor damage while the ground shaking from a magnitude 1 earthquake would not be felt.





4e. The energy released from this earthquake is 1000 times greater than the energy released from a earthquake with a magnitude of 1.

5. One earthquake that happened in the last seven days is one in Chiapas, Mexico. This Southern Mexico and Central America area has high earthquake activity. It had had a magnitude of 5.8. It was felt in many surrounding areas in Southern Mexico as well as in Antigua, Guatemala.

6. People can protect themselves from earthquakes by having non-perishable food, emergency supplies, clothing, blankets, water, first aid supplies, sanitation supplies, and cooking supplies.