Class 7 Geography Chapter 5 Question Answers - Water

Q1. Define briefly what is the water cycle.
Ans: The continuous movement of water from the water bodies to the atmosphere and again back to the water bodies is called the water cycle.

Q2. What do you mean by rainwater harvesting?
Ans: Collecting and conserving the rainwater from the rooftops of the buildings is called rainwater harvesting.

Q3. What is the reason why Earth appears blue from space?
Ans: The earth appears blue from space because a major part of the surface of the earth is covered with water in seas and oceans. It is this water on the earth which makes it appear blue in colour.

Q4. What is freshwater?
Ans: The water that is fit for human consumption is called freshwater.

Q5. What are bawris?
Ans: Bawris are the old age practices of water storage and water recharge. It is a step well in which a person can go down by using a set of steps to fetch water.

Q6. What do you mean by surface water?
Ans: The water present on the surface of the earth is called the surface water.

Q7. How is the water table maintained below the earth?
Ans: The rainwater and water from other sources seeping into the earth maintain the water table. This is called replenishing the water table.

Q8. What is drip irrigation?
Ans: Drip irrigation is a technique of watering the plants by making use of narrow tubings which deliver water drop by drop directly at the base of the plant.

Q9. List the various reasons for the depletion of the water table.
Ans: The following are the various reasons for the depletion of the water table:

• Increase in population
• Scanty rainfall
• Deforestation
• Agricultural activities
• Industrialization
• Decrease in the effective area of seepage of water.

Q10. What do you mean by conservation of water? How can we conserve water?
Ans: The process of conservation of water is the wise and judicious use of water by us. We can conserve water by different ways. Rainwater harvesting minimises the wastage of water in houses and industries, using conservation techniques like drip irrigation in agriculture, etc., are few methods of conservation of water.

Q11. List five advantages of conserving water.
Ans: Following are the five advantages of conserving water:

• Protects drinking water resources.
• It solves the problem of water scarcity.
• It helps to recharge groundwater.
• It saves energy and money.
• It save freshwater to run off into sea and ocean.

Q12. How can you contribute towards water conservation?
Ans: We can contribute towards water conservation by
(a) checking faucets and pipes for leaks.
(b) turning off taps while brushing
(c) mopping the floor instead of washing.
(d) using water after mopping to water the plants.
(e) using grey water from washing machine to flush the toilets.
(f) watering plants in evening and morning to avoid loss of water due to evaporation

Q13. Explain briefly what is rainwater harvesting?
Ans: Collecting and conserving the rainwater from the roof tops of the buildings is called rainwater harvesting. Water from the roof tops of the houses, industries, etc., is collected. It is used directly or allowed to seep into the soil instead of allowing it to flow down. It helps in raising the water table.

Q14. Explain how increasing population is responsible for the depletion of water table.
Ans: Increasing population creates demands for construction of houses, shops, offices, roads and pavements. This decreases the open areas like parks and playgrounds. This in turn decreases the seepage of rainwater into the ground.
Moreover a huge amount of water is required for construction work and daily chores, often groundwater is used for this purpose. So on the one hand we are consuming more groundwater and on the other we are allowing lesser water to seep into the ground. This results in depletion of water table. In fact, the water table in some parts of many cities has gone down to alarmingly low levels.