More fascinating facts about water - Fact Sheet - Year 4

Within this fact sheet aimed at Year 4 students, some intriguing aspects of water and its role in our world are explored. To begin with, it explains the water cycle's role in recycling the water released from our bodies. When we urinate or sweat, the water component evaporates and rejoins the water cycle, leaving behind non-evaporative substances like urea and salt. Secondly, the fact sheet touches on the issue of flooding, which occurs when the ground is oversaturated with water from rainfall, causing rivers and streams to overflow as they cannot accommodate the excess water.

Additionally, the fact sheet describes the powerful natural force of glaciers, which are formed from frozen water and have the ability to carve out valleys over thousands of years, only re-entering the water cycle when they melt. It also introduces hydroelectric power stations, which harness the energy of falling water in mountainous regions to generate electricity by converting the water's kinetic energy into electrical energy. Lastly, the importance of water to human life is underscored, highlighting its essential functions in digestion, supporting the immune system, and maintaining blood composition, with a stark reminder that humans can only survive without water for approximately three days. This educational material prompts students to consider the states of matter and the dynamics of the water cycle.