The materials presented here highlight the fact that Earth's supply of water is finite and is constantly recycled. We depend on water for drinking, washing, recreation, agriculture and industry. It controls the world's weather and sustains the natural systems above and below the earth's surface. Users can examine an illustration that shows the role played by groundwater in the hydrologic cycle and ... Full description.

This activity explores understanding the greenhouse effect through a lab experiment. The effect on the atmosphere is included too. Full description.

This site offers general background about winter storms as well as interactive activities to teach visitors about these storms. It also offers a teacher's guide to using this site and links to other weather-related pages. There are four main topics: All About Winter Storms, Interactive Weather Maker, Interactive Winter Storm Timeline, and Ask Our Winter Storm Expert. All About Winter Storms gives ... Full description.

The site focuses on the responses of Antarctica and its sea ice to climate changes. Two experiments help illustrate what happens as water warms and how this warming could affect sea levels and low-lying coastal areas. Links to more detailed information are also provided. Full description.

Using the European Space Agency's Infrared Space Observatory, Spanish and Italian astronomers have for the first time measured the total amount of water in cold regions of the Milky Way. The findings and implications of this research are discussed here, with emphasis on the fact that water is abundant in these cold regions and exists mostly in the form of ice. Images and videos are included. Full description.

When different kinds of oil enter the sea, many physical, chemical and biological degradation processes start acting on them. This resource describes the factors that decide the physical, chemical and biological degradation of the oil, as well as potential environmental damage, effects on wildlife, and effects on habitats, of the spill. The text is color-coded to reflect the sources of the information, ... Full description.

This site presents two case studies regarding the Wheeling Creek area of West Virginia. The scenario asks students to research problems and come up with answers to a ficticious local water board's concerns over water quality in the watershed. The site provides students with extensive, yet easy to understand background information on the following topics: Importance of Water, Water Cycle, Hydrosphere, ... Full description.

This site describes how snow and ice runoff become surface water and emphasizes how runoff from snowmelt is a major component of the global movement of water. A hydrograph from the U.S. Geological Survey shows a four-year time series of streamflow and illustrates how runoff from snowmelt affects the daily mean values, particularly at certain times of the year. Full description.

This set of images summarizes what scientists currently know about the occurrence of water ice and water vapor on the terrestrial planets and satellites in our Solar System. Accompanied by a brief description, the Jpeg images show the ice cap at Mars' south pole, ice rafting on Europa, liquid water covering the surface of Earth (the famous 'Blue Marble' photo), and an impact crater on the Moon that ... Full description.

Where oceans and seas meet land, the change is abrupt and sudden. The plants and animals that call this transition zone home have interesting adaptations. Users can view pictures and read about several types of shorelines and coastal features (sandy shores, barrier islands, rocky shores, tide pools, estuaries, salt marshes, mud flats, and mangrove forests), the plants and animals that inhabit them, ... Full description.