Water Basics
Water Basics
"Water, Water, Everywhere...."
You've heard the phrase, and for water, it really is true. Earth's water is (almost) everywhere: above the Earth in the air and clouds, on the surface of the Earth in rivers, oceans, ice, plants, in living organisms, and inside the Earth in the top few miles of the ground. The Water Science School allows you to explore all the basics about water.
All Water Basics Topics
All Water Basics Topics
View a list of all of our science topics about the basics of water.
Filter Total Items: 39
What is Hydrology?
"Hydro" comes from the Greek word for... water. Hydrology is the study of water and hydrologists are scientists who study water. Read on to learn more.
Water in Space: How Does Water Behave in Outer Space?
Does water still feel wet in outer space? Does it float or does it fall? With a little help from our friends at NASA we will help you understand exactly how water behaves in outer space. Continue reading to learn more.
The Water in You: Water and the Human Body
Water is indeed essential for all life on, in, and above the Earth. This is important to you because you are made up mostly of water. Find out what water does for the human body.
Water Q&A: Why can't I rinse the soap off my hands
Water Quality Q&A: Why can't I rinse the soap off my hands?
La Ciencia del Agua para Escuelas
La Ciencia del Agua para Escuelas
Water Basics Information by Topic
Water is everywhere, from huge oceans to invisible water molecules making up water vapor in the air. But how much water is there on, in, above, and below the Earth, and where is it located? Use the topics below to explore the basic concepts and facts about water.
Water Basics Photo Gallery
Learn about water science using pictures.
Где находятся воды Земли? Where is Earth's Water? (Russian)
Где находятся воды Земли? «Вода, вода, одна вода…» Вы слышали эту фразу и, что касается воды, то она действительно везде. Воды Земли присутствуют (почти) повсюду: над поверхностью Земли — в воздухе, облаках, — а также на поверхности Земли — в реках, океанах, льдах, растениях и в живых организмах. Russian translation courtesy of EduTranslator - Научные работы со всего мира, Где находятся воды Земли...
A Day in the Life of a USGS Water Scientist
If you have to spend time in other people's shoes before judging them, you'd have to do a lot more than walk a mile to understand a USGS water scientist. For example, if you were Hydrologic Technician, or "Hydrotech," John Jastram, you would be perched 40 feet above a river as you made water-quality measurements from a swaying cable car. And if you were Hydrotech Karl Dydak, you would actually be...
Water Science Glossary
Here's a list of water-related terms, compiled from several different resources, that might help you understand our site better.
Saline Water and Salinity
In your everyday life you are not involved much with saline water. You are concerned with freshwater to serve your life's every need. But, most of Earth's water, and almost all of the water that people can access, is saline, or salty water. Just look at the oceans and remember that oceans comprise about 97% of all water on, in, and above the Earth.
Water, the Universal Solvent
We need to take the statement "Water is the universal solvent" with a grain of salt (pun intended). Of course it cannot dissolve everything, but it does dissolve more substances than any other liquid, so the term fits pretty well. Water's solvent properties affect all life on Earth, so water is universally important to all of us.