Brianna Cabrera

Earth Environmental Science Honors

12/2/16
3rd period

Freshwater Pollution Guided Notes

Holt Environmental Science Section 5.2, pg. 131
1.What is water pollution?
Water pollution is the introduction 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 the human population
explosion.
3.What is point pollution? Provide one example.
Point pollution is pollution that is discharged
from a single source. Examples include; A
waste water treatment plant.
4.What is nonpoint pollution? Provide one
example.
Nonpoint pollution is pollution that comes from
many sources rather than a single specific site.
Example: When it rains and polluting material
from a city flows through storm sewers into
waterways.
5.Why is nonpoint pollution a more serious
problem?
It is extremely difficult to regulate and control,
because it comes from multiple sources.

Brianna Cabrera
Earth Environmental Science Honors

12/2/16
3rd period

**Leave some room here for a sketch (wastewater

treatment)**

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

Sludge is the solid material that remains after
treatment.
7.What are pathogens? List some examples.
Pathogens are disease carrying organisms such
as bacteria.
8.How can biological magnification affect
polluted aquatic ecosystems?
It causes an increase in concentration.

**Leave some room here for sketches

(biomagnifications & eutrophication)**

Brianna Cabrera
Earth Environmental Science Honors

12/2/16
3rd period

9.What is thermal pollution and why is it a

problem?
Thermal pollution is the excessive amount of
heat that are added to a body of water. This is
a problem, because it creates an unnatural
environment to organisms, making to warm for
organisms to live in, resulting in less
biodiversity.

Brianna Cabrera
Earth Environmental Science Honors

12/2/16
3rd period

10. What is the Clean Water Act? When was it

passed?
The Clean Water Act is an act passed by
Congress in 1972 to restore and maintain the
chemical, physical, and biological integrity of
the nations water.
11. Why will groundwater pollution be a longlasting problem?
Even if we stopped using hazardous
chemicals hat seep into the ground, polluting
the ground water, we would still have polluted
water generations from now, because
groundwater takes a long time to recharge.
12. Where does most bottled water come
from?
Bottled water comes from tap water that has been
filtered and treated with various chemicals.