======Distribution of Earth’s Water======


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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
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**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
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**Alternative titles:** Earth’s Fresh and Salt Water
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Fill a measuring cup with 500 mL of water to represent all of Earth’s water.  
  - Measure out 15 mL from the total. This represents all of Earth’s fresh water. The remaining 485 mL represents salt water, found mainly in oceans.  
  - Add salt and blue food coloring to the 485 mL portion to represent the oceans.  
  - Divide the 15 mL of fresh water into three separate cups:  
    - 10.3 mL into a cup labeled “Ice/Glaciers” (68.7%).  
    - 4.5 mL into a cup labeled “Groundwater” (30.1%).  
    - 0.18 mL into a cup labeled “Lakes/Rivers” (1.2%).  
  - Compare the amounts visually to see how little accessible fresh water exists.



====Links==== 
All the Water in the World | Water Experiments for Kids - Water Education: 
{{youtube>90qbF0RUD9U?}}\\


📄 Distribution of Earth's Water Demonstration - Homeschool Daily: [[https://thehomeschooldaily.com/distribution-of-earths-water-demonstration/?srsltid=AfmBOoouuBJ0fEOYpx94aCt9FPKOzIkPRLDAGZCWm8XNUZjozNEsYIBL]]\\


====Variations====
  * Use larger or smaller volumes (e.g., 1 liter instead of 500 mL) to scale the demonstration for different class sizes.  
  * Use colored dyes for each category (blue for lakes/rivers, green for groundwater, white for glaciers).  
  * Extend the demo by showing desalination or water filtration methods.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Handle food coloring carefully to avoid stains.  
  * If using glass containers, handle with care to avoid breakage.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Where is most of Earth’s fresh water stored? (In ice and glaciers.)  
  * Which type of fresh water is easiest for humans to access? (Lakes and rivers, but it makes up only 1.2% of fresh water.)  
  * Why is it important to conserve fresh water? (Because only a tiny fraction of Earth’s water is readily usable by people, plants, and animals.)  
  * How might technology help us use more of Earth’s water supply? (Through desalination, groundwater extraction, or improved water recycling.)