Problem 2
Imagine a water molecule that is part of a groundwater system in an area of gently rolling hills in the eastern United States. Describe some possible paths the molecule might take through the hydrologic cycle if: a. It were pumped from the ground to irrigate a farm field. b. There were a long period of heavy rainfall. c. The water table in the vicinity of the molecule developed a steep cone of depression due to heavy pumping from a nearby well. Combine your understanding of the hydrologic cycle with your imagination and include possible short-term and long-term destinations and information about how the molecule gets to these places via evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff. Remember to consider possible interactions with streams, lakes, groundwater, the ocean, and the atmosphere.
Problem 4
During a trip to a grocery store, your friend wants to buy some bottled water. Some brands promote the fact that their product is artesian. Other brands boast that their water comes from a spring. Your friend asks, "Is artesian water or spring water necessarily better than water from other sources?" How would you answer?
