Learn More
Hide
Download
Download a zip file that includes all the web pages and downloadable files from the student materialsFor the Instructor
These student materials complement the Water Science and Society Instructor Materials. If you would like your students to have access to the student materials, we suggest you either point them at the Student Version which omits the framing pages with information designed for faculty (and this box). Or you can download these pages in several formats that you can include in your course website or local Learning Managment System. Learn more about using, modifying, and sharing InTeGrate teaching materials.Summary and Final Tasks
The material in Module 2 has, we hope, led you to a better understanding of the distribution of water at the Earth's surface and the processes that influence that distribution. Ultimately, much of the water that falls as precipitation on land has evaporated from the ocean surface and rains out because of processes (topographic relief, interactions with another air mass) that cause a moisture-laden air mass to rise and cool. You can now predict where areas of higher precipitation occur, as well as explaining the origin of desert regions, and you can explain the coupling of energy and water in Earth's climate system. A general understanding of Earth's climate zones and prevailing wind systems is necessary background for the modules that follow. We next consider the fate of precipitation and the origin and behavior of river systems (Module 3) that eventually return some of the water (about 30%) that falls on landmasses to the ocean.
Reminder - Complete all of the Module 2 tasks!
You have reached the end of Module 2! Double-check the to-do list on the Module 2 Roadmap to make sure you have completed all of the activities listed there before moving onto Module 3!
References and Further Reading
The Big Thirst Chapter 3
