Student/Therapist Resources

Chapter 2: Hydrosphere: One Dynamic Water System

Key Concepts

• Water is a naturally occurring substance on our planet found in the frozen, liquid and vapor states. The source of all water, for whatever purpose, is the hydrosphere. The hydrosphere, which is found to exist naturally in the liquid, vapor or frozen states, represents the total amount of water on planet Earth, which remains relatively constant at 332 million cubic miles. This entire amount of water is part of one interconnected system, with many different expressions in the natural environment, including the oceans, rivers, waterfalls, hot springs, geysers, snow, rain, glaciers and ice caps.  
  
• The hydrosphere is a dynamic system with constant evaporation (purification) of water, precipitation in the form of mainly rain and snow and constant circulation of this water from higher to lower elevations. This dynamic activity of the hydrosphere is known as the hydrologic cycle.
  
  
• The behavior of water in the hydrosphere and as it is expressed in the hydrologic cycle, is according the basic principles of the natural behavior of water as described in Chapter 1. For example, it is the principle of gravity that produces the flow of water from higher to lower elevation. It is the principle of evaporation that produces the movement of water from lower to higher elevations.
  
  
• Human beings are a natural part of the hydrosphere. At any given time, approximately 66 billion gallons of water are inside the total population and approximately 4 million gallons of water per minute are flowing into and out of the total population.
  
  
• Experiences of the healing and therapeutic nature of water in the natural environment, for example at hot springs, the oceans and waterfall, has provided insights into the use of the water as a therapeutic modality.  Photo: Body surfing (compliments of Greg Rice, Sandy Beach, Ohahu, Hawaii). Photo: Glenwood Springs, Colorado (compliments of Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, Glenwood Springs, Colorado).
  
  
• Certain activities by human beings are having a negative impact on the hydrosphere, including toxic chemicals, dumping of garbage, overuse of water, destruction of wetlands and the potential negative effects of global warming.  
  
  

Additional suggested Study, Research and Teaching Exercises  

• Hydrosphere
  Internet Educational Resource: 
  HyperPhysics  Link (Distribution of water)   HyperPhysics  Link (Seawater)    
  
  
• Hydrologic Cycle
  Internet Educational Resource:
  U.S. Geological Survey  Link (Hydrologic Cycle)   HyperPhysics  Link (Hydrologic Cycle)      Poland Springs Water  Link (Hydrologic Cycle),  
  
  Teaching Exercise: 
  Create a dynamic model of the hydrologic cycle as described in Teaching Exercise 2.1. How each aspect of the hydrologic cycle can be found functioning in this model of the hydrologic cycle?
  
  
• Harming the Hydrosphere
  Internet Educational Resource:
  U.S. Geological Survey  Link (Climate Change )
  
  
• Drinking Water & Pollution 
  Internet Educational Resource:
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA  Link (Drinking Water Containments) Link (Water Topic)
  
  Scientific Research
  Associate Press: Research on Drugs in Drinking Water  Link 
  
  Teaching Exercise:
  Research the source, treatment procedures, distribution and other important aspects of the local municipal water supply. Discuss what home water purification systems should be used to further purify the local municipal water coming into residential homes to make it safe for drinking. There is really no one correct approach for this and there are many opinions on what is the needed, but it is an interesting topic of discussion which can provoke a meaningful discussion.
  
  
• Hydrosphere 
  Teaching Exercise: 
  View the different NASA photos of planet Earth to learn more about the hydrosphere and the hydrologic cycle.  
  1. How do the photos show that the hydrosphere is one interconnected system?
  2. Locate dynamic elements of the hydrosphere: for example oceans, rivers, lakes, ice caps and clouds.  
  3. Consider how pollution of the hydrosphere by people in a particular location (country), can effect the total hydrosphere and all living systems connected with it.
  4. Why are human beings a natural part of (not separate from) the hydrosphere?

 NASA Photos of the Hydrosphere

Australia		South America, Central America, Caribbean		Africa, Middle East, Europe		Antarctica		North America, Northern Icecap