First Term
Sustaining life in ecosystems from the view of scientific integration
Chapter 1
Aquatic ecosystem
1-1 Chemical reactions and their impact on water quality
▪ Get ready:
Have you ever thought when you drink a glass of water,
about the chemical reactions that may occur within this
vital liquid?
Water is not just a transparent liquid; it is a medium in
which many chemical compounds may react, affecting
the quality of water and the health of living organisms
that depend on it. In this chapter, we will learn about the
hydrosphere and the water cycle in nature, as well as some
of the basic physical properties and chemical reactions that
occur in water, and how these properties and reactions can
affect the components of the environment.
▪ Learn:
Water has unique properties that support life. Water can dissolve many chemicals and can exist
in all three states of matter - solid, liquid, and gaseous states - within the range of known
temperatures on the Earth's surface. Water is essential to the continuation of life on Earth. All
living cells have a membrane that separates the organism from its environment. Water passes
from the environment to the inside of the living cell through this membrane, carrying the
substances needed to produce energy, as well as eliminating waste products to the outside.
♦ The hydrosphere on Earth:
The hydrosphere distinguishes Earth from other planets in the
solar system. About 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by
water (Figure 1). About 97% of this water is found in the
oceans, seas, and salt lakes as salt water. The fresh water and is
found in rivers, freshwater lakes and groundwater represents
approximately 1%. And the reminder part represents the frozen
water in polar regions, mountain peaks and glaciers.
Egypt is characterized by its diverse aquatic environments,
which include the Nile River, the Gulf of Suez, the Gulf of
Aqaba, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and many salt and
freshwater lakes. The water envelope
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♦ Water Cycle in Nature:
Water exists on or near the Earth's surface in a state of continuous change between its three
states. Water is constantly moving from one place to another in many different paths that form a
nearly closed system called the water cycle in nature or the hydrologic cycle. The water cycle as
a system is capable of changing the Earth's surface physically, chemically, and biologically. The
water cycle in nature mainly includes the process of evaporation, which contributes to the
formation of clouds and the process of rain or snowfall. In addition to other biological processes
such as transpiration in plants, respiration in plants and animals, and water leakage through the
pores of soil and sedimentary rocks to form groundwater. Water vapor in clouds may react
chemically with compounds in the air, forming some acids that fall as acid rain, which
decomposes rocks.
▪ Research activity
Using various sources, research about:
1- What are the different tools that meteorologists use to measure the amount of annual rainfall
that falls on a particular area of the Earth's surface?
2- Can scientists predict future changes in the Earth's water cycle?
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♦ Chemical structure of water:
Water is composed of the two elements hydrogen and oxygen, in
the ratio of 2: 1 by volume, respectively. Oxygen represents
88.89% of the mass of the water molecule and hydrogen
represents 11.11%. The two hydrogen atoms are connected to the
oxygen atom by two covalent bonds with an angle of about 104.5o
between them.
♦ Chemical properties of water:
Water does not exist on Earth in a pure form as it contains many
ions and chemicals that interact with it in different ways. Here are
three of the main properties of water:
1- Water polarity:
The oxygen atom is characterized by its higher electronegativity
than the hydrogen atom, so the bonding electrons are attracted
towards the oxygen atom, forming a partial negative charge on
the oxygen atom and a partial positive charge on the hydrogen atom,
which is known as the polarity of the water molecule. The polarity
of water molecules causes them to bond with other water molecules
or polar molecules of other substances to form hydrogen bonds,
which gives water the ability to dissolve many salts and break them
down into hydrated ions.
The ability of water molecules to form hydrogen bonds
with each other is also a key reason pure water has a
higher boiling point of 100°C at normal atmospheric
pressure than compounds of similar structure, such as
hydrogen sulphide, which boils at -61°C.