ESSENTIAL SCIENCE
Water and weather
Look at the picture. Is it a river or a lake? Is the water moving?
1. Rivers
Water is a very important element in a landscape. It is in rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
Rivers are made of moving water. They start high in the mountains or from an underground source. They run through flat lands and get bigger. More water goes into them from rainfall and other rivers.
Rivers flow down to the sea or into another river.
2. The course and flow of a river
The course of a river is the route the river takes.
The quantity of water in a river is called the flow.
In some places, rivers have a lot of water in the autumn and in the spring because it rains more and snow melts in the mountains.
The course of a river has three parts:
- The upper course: the river is narrow and there is less water in it. It flows very quickly.
- The middle course: the river is wider and there is more water in it. It does not flow as quickly.
- The lower course: the river is much wider and there is now much more water in it. It flows slowly.
PRACTICE
Could you find out where the water we use to drink, wash and cook here in our town comes from? Look for the names of mountains, rivers and reservoirs implied in the process by which our water gets to San Fernando's taps.
(¿Serías capaz de averiguar de dónde procede el agua que usamos para beber, fregar y cocinar en nuestra ciudad? Busca los nombres de sierras, ríos y embalses implicados en el proceso por el cual nuestra agua llega a los grifos de San Fernando).
