Water Water Everywhere | Learn All About Water For Kids

When you are really thirsty, there is nothing better than a cool drink of water. But have you ever wondered where your water comes from? Before it hits the drinking fountain, a faucet, or your refrigerator, about 70% of the earth is covered by water. But did you know that only a tiny portion of that water is drinkable? Stick around and we'll tell you why as we learn all about water. Water is needed for all living things. You use it every day. You drink it. Wash with it. Cool off in it. Cook with it. Water helps with growing plants for food. Putting out fires. Creating energy. And so much more. Without water, life on earth wouldn't exist. But what is water exactly? Let's examine some water together right now. What does your water look like? How does it taste? How does it smell? How does it feel? Is the water in your cup a solid, a liquid, or a gas? Now that you've studied your glass of water, let's talk about what it's made of, or its recipe. There are two chemicals that make up water. Oddly enough, both chemicals are actually gases. But when they are joined together in a special way, they create water. These two chemicals are called hydrogen and oxygen. Which is why water is sometimes referred to as H2O. Because it takes two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom to form a water molecule. Pretty neat, huh? A water molecule is the same whether it's a liquid, a solid, or a gas. Water in its liquid form is what you drink. When water gets cold enough, it freezes and becomes a solid. Which, as you probably know, is called ice. Want to do an experiment? You can see this process for yourself by filling up an ice cube tray or plastic cup with water and then sticking it into your freezer. After a while, you'll see that the water has gotten cold enough to turn into ice. Want to see the process in reverse? See it for yourself by putting an ice cube into a bowl and then watching it slowly melt. Water can also become a gas, which is called water vapor. This happens when water is boiled and gets so hot, it evaporates into the air. You can also see this process in action if you have a humidifier at home. We've talked about what water is, but what about where we can find it? About 70% of Earth's surface is covered with water. That seems like a lot, right? Let's say you had a candy bar with 10 squares of chocolate. Yum! 70% would equal 7 whole squares of your candy bar. That's a lot of water. Most of Earth's water comes from its oceans, but it's also found in glaciers, the polar ice caps, rivers, lakes, streams, creeks, and reservoirs. Is there a difference between all of these sources of water? You bet! There are two types of water. Salt water and freshwater. Water from the ocean is made up of salt water, which isn't safe to drink unless it has all of the salt taken out of it. One source of freshwater is called surface water, and it is found in glaciers, lakes, rivers, streams, creeks, and reservoirs. Another source of freshwater is called groundwater, which happens when rain and snow seep into the soil until it reaches rock material. It's stored in the ground, in the spaces between the rock particles, and eventually drains into lakes, rivers, and other freshwater sources. There's a lot more salt water than freshwater in the world. In fact, over 97% of water on Earth isn't drinkable, and only about 0.06% is made of freshwater. To help you understand what this means, let's pretend that all of Earth's water fits into this gallon jug. Only one teaspoon of this entire gallon of water would be freshwater. That isn't very much. And it's why it's so important that we conserve water whenever we can. Our bodies need freshwater to survive, and clean drinking water is essential for life on Earth. But in some parts of the world, people don't have access to clean drinking water. Some people have to travel long distances to get their water, and have to boil it or use special filters before they can drink it. Besides drinking it, how do you use water in your daily life? What about brushing your teeth? Flushing the toilet? Taking a shower or bath? Do you want to know the best way to conserve water? It's pretty simple. Turn it off when it's not being used. So when you brush your teeth, get your toothbrush wet, and then turn off the water while you brush. You could also take a five-minute shower instead of taking a bath. You can even make water conservation fun by putting out containers when it rains and storing up the water you collect for future use. If we all work together, we can ensure that there's more water available for everyone. What time is it? It's review time! Let's see how many water facts you remember. What are the two different types of water found on Earth? Did you say saltwater and freshwater? Great job! What's a simple way to conserve water? Turn it off when you're not using it. What's the recipe for water? H2O, or two hydrogen atoms plus one oxygen atom. You're doing so awesome! True or false? There's more freshwater on Earth than saltwater. False! That's why it's important that we conserve water when we can. Fantastic job, everybody! Did you learn something new about water today? We hope so! Remember, knowledge is power, so make sure to talk to a friend about what you've learned. The more we know about water, the better we can protect and conserve it for the future. Hope you had fun learning with us! Visit us at learnbright.org for thousands of free resources and turnkey solutions for teachers and homeschoolers.