Potable Water and Water Treatment Flashcards

1️⃣ Familiarise yourself with the flashcards:

  • Look through all the flashcards to see what's on both sides.
  • Make sure you understand the information on each card. If something's unclear, click the link to the revision notes at the bottom of the page for more details.

2️⃣ Test yourself:

  • Look at the question or prompt on each card and try to remember the answer before flipping it over.
  • Check the answer and make a note of any cards you find challenging and need to go over more.

3️⃣ Consistently Review and Practice:

  • Use spaced repetition: spend more time on the cards you struggle with and go over them more often.
  • Regularly review all the flashcards to help you better understand and retain the information over time.

Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

PERSONALISED 1-TO-1 TUTORING

Need more help on this topic? Get 1-to-1 support

Get support with clear explanations, practice and feedback (Ages 5 to 16).

  • DBS-checked tutors
  • Flexible times
  • Parents can be updated

Want an ad-free experience? Subscribe to remove ads

What is meant by "potable water"?

Potable water is water that is safe to drink.

Is potable water the same as pure water? Explain.

No. Pure water is only H2O. Potable water is safe to drink but can contain small amounts of dissolved substances.

What are the main natural sources of fresh water for drinking in the UK?

Lakes, rivers and groundwater, such as water from wells and aquifers.

Why does natural fresh water often need treatment before it is potable?

It can contain dirt, harmful microbes and dissolved chemicals that must be removed or reduced.

Name the main stages in treating fresh water to make it potable.

The water is screened, allowed to settle, filtered through sand and gravel, then disinfected.

What is the purpose of filtration in water treatment?

Filtration removes small insoluble particles from the water.

Why is chlorine added to drinking water?

Chlorine kills harmful microbes, making the water safe to drink.

What is meant by "desalination"?

Desalination is removing dissolved salt from seawater to make potable water.

Why is desalination not used everywhere?

It needs a lot of energy and is expensive to run on a large scale.

What is sewage (waste water), and where does it come from?

Sewage is used water from homes, industry and farming, including toilet waste, soaps and food waste.

Why must sewage be treated before it is released into rivers or the sea?

Untreated sewage contains harmful microbes and organic matter that can spread disease and reduce oxygen in the water.

What are the main stages in sewage treatment?

Sewage is screened, then allowed to settle into sludge and liquid. The liquid is treated with aerobic microbes. The sludge is broken down, often to make biogas and fertiliser.