Freshwater Pollution Guided Notes

Holt Environmental Science Section 5.2, pg. 131

1. What is water pollution? Intro of chemical, physical, or
biological agents into water that degrades the quality of
the water and affects the organisms that depend on it.
2. What are the major causes of water pollution?
Industrialization and human population explosion
3. What is point pollution? Provide one example. Pollution
that is discharged from a single source. Oil tanker
4. What is nonpoint pollution? Provide one example.
Pollution that comes from many sources. Sewage
System
5. Why is nonpoint pollution a more serious problem? It is a
lot more difficult to regulate and control

6. What is sludge and how do we deal with it? Solid

material that is left after treatment. Often contains toxic
chemicals. It is often incinerated and buried in a secure
landfill

7. What are pathogens? List some examples. Disease

causing organisms. Parasitic Worms
8. How can biological magnification affect polluted aquatic
ecosystems? Toxins are being passed through different
animals

9. What is thermal pollution and why is it a problem?

Excessive amounts of heat added to a body of water.
Can kill the organisms living in that habitat.
10.
What is the Clean Water Act? When was it passed?
To make sure the surface water is fit for fish and
swimming and banning pollutant discharge into these
waters. Required that metals be removed from water.
1972
11. Why will groundwater pollution be a long-lasting
problem? It recharges very slowly and hard to
decontaminate the aquifers
12.
Where does most bottled water come from? Tap
water