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Water

NCERT Class 5 · EVS Based on NCERT Class 5 EVS textbook · Free CBSE study kit

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Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter introduces students to the importance of water as a limited and essential resource for all life on Earth. It covers the different forms of water (solid, liquid, vapour), the water cycle, sources of freshwater (surface water and groundwater), and how water shapes land and supports habitats. The one big idea a student must walk away with is that water is a unique, limited, and shared resource that must be used wisely and conserved.
Key Concepts (16)
Freshwater
Water that is not salty and is fit for drinking, growing crops, and daily activities. It is found in rivers, ponds, lakes, and underground.
e.g. The water we drink from a tap or a handpump is freshwater.
Saltwater
Water that contains salt and is found in oceans and seas. It is not fit for drinking or farming.
e.g. The water in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal is saltwater.
Water cycle
The constant circular movement of water in nature, changing its form as it travels through the air, land, and sky.
e.g. Sun heats water from a pond, it turns into vapour, forms clouds, and falls as rain back into the pond.
Groundwater
Water that gets stored deep underground after sinking through layers of soil and rocks.
e.g. We draw groundwater using wells, borewells, tube wells, and handpumps.
Surface water
Water found on the surface of the Earth in natural sources like rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans.
e.g. The Ganga river and Wular Lake are sources of surface water.
Water vapour
The gaseous form of water, formed when water is heated.
e.g. Steam rising from a boiling kettle is water vapour.
Evaporation
The process by which water turns into water vapour due to heat from the Sun.
e.g. Puddles drying up after rain due to sunlight is evaporation.
Condensation
The process by which water vapour cools and turns back into liquid water droplets.
e.g. Water droplets forming on a cold glass of ice water come from condensation of water vapour in the air.
Precipitation
Water falling from clouds to the Earth in the form of rain, snow, or hail.
e.g. Raindrops falling during a monsoon shower are precipitation.
Groundwater recharge
The process by which rainwater seeps into the ground to refill underground water stores.
e.g. Open lawns, soak pits, ponds, and planting trees help groundwater recharge.
Johads
Traditional small earthen dams built in Rajasthan to collect rainwater and recharge groundwater.
e.g. Villages in Rajasthan use johads to store rainwater for dry seasons.
Salt pans
Vast flatlands where seawater is dried to collect salt, such as those in Gujarat.
e.g. The salt pans of Gujarat are one of the largest salt-producing areas in India.
Watershed management
The practice of managing the flow of rainwater and preventing soil erosion to conserve water, as done in Hiware Bazar, Maharashtra.
e.g. Hiware Bazar is a water-positive village that uses watershed management and rainwater harvesting.
Aquatic plants
Plants that live in or near water and have special features like floating leaves or long roots to survive.
e.g. Lotus, water lily, water hyacinth, and reeds are aquatic plants.
Food chain
A sequence showing who eats whom in an ecosystem, showing dependence of living beings on each other for food.
e.g. In a river food chain: small fish eat tiny plants, big fish eat small fish, birds eat big fish.
Waxy coating
A waterproof layer on leaves that prevents too much water from getting inside the plant, keeping it healthy.
e.g. Lotus leaves have a waxy coating that makes water roll off them.
How It Works
Water Cycle
  1. Step 1: Sun's heat causes water from oceans, rivers, ponds, and lakes to turn into water vapour (evaporation).
  2. Step 2: Water vapour rises and cools, forming tiny water droplets that collect to make clouds (condensation).
  3. Step 3: When droplets become heavy, they fall back to Earth as rain, snow, or hail (precipitation).
  4. Step 4: This water flows into rivers, lakes, and oceans, or seeps into the ground to become groundwater.
  5. Step 5: The cycle repeats continuously.
💡 Students often forget that the Sun is the main source of energy for the water cycle. Also, they confuse evaporation (liquid to gas) with condensation (gas to liquid).
Groundwater Formation and Recharge
  1. Step 1: Rain falls on the ground.
  2. Step 2: Some water is soaked up by the soil and sinks through layers of soil and rocks.
  3. Step 3: This water gets stored deep underground as groundwater.
  4. Step 4: We dig wells, borewells, tube wells, and handpumps to draw this water for use.
  5. Step 5: In open, uncovered areas, water seeps into the ground easily, recharging groundwater. In cities with cemented surfaces, this does not happen easily.
💡 Students often think groundwater is a separate source unrelated to rain. They must remember that groundwater comes from rainwater seeping into the ground.
River Flow and Land Shaping
  1. Step 1: A river begins its journey from high in the mountains.
  2. Step 2: It flows downhill, following the shape of the land.
  3. Step 3: Water flows, stops, or curves according to land formations in its path.
  4. Step 4: The flow of water can change the shape of the land over time (erosion and deposition).
💡 Students often think rivers flow in straight lines. They must remember that rivers curve and spread according to the shape of the land, as shown in the mustard seed activity.
Melting and Boiling of Water
  1. Step 1: Ice cubes left in a glass at room temperature melt into liquid water (melting).
  2. Step 2: If water is heated, it turns into steam or water vapour (boiling/evaporation).
  3. Step 3: Water vapour can cool and turn back into liquid water (condensation).
💡 Students often think melting and boiling are the same process. Melting is solid to liquid (ice to water), boiling is liquid to gas (water to steam).
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing 'freshwater' with 'all water on Earth'
✗ Most of the water on Earth is freshwater.
→ The chapter clearly states that most of Earth's water is salty, and only a tiny amount (like a teaspoon in a glass) is freshwater.
✓ Most of the water on Earth is salty (ocean water), and only a very small amount is freshwater fit for drinking and farming.
⚠ Thinking groundwater is a separate, never-ending source
✗ Groundwater comes from deep inside the Earth and does not depend on rain.
→ The chapter explains that groundwater is formed when rainwater seeps through soil and rocks. It is recharged by rain.
✓ Groundwater is water stored underground that comes from rainwater seeping into the ground. It needs to be recharged by rain.
⚠ Mixing up evaporation and condensation
✗ Evaporation is when water vapour turns into water droplets.
→ Evaporation is liquid to gas (water to vapour). Condensation is gas to liquid (vapour to droplets).
✓ Evaporation is the process where water turns into water vapour due to heat. Condensation is the process where water vapour cools and turns into water droplets.
⚠ Thinking all rivers flow into the sea
✗ All rivers in India eventually flow into the sea.
→ The chapter gives the example of the Luni river, which does not drain into a sea but ends in the marshy lands of the Rann of Kutch.
✓ Most rivers flow into the sea, but some rivers like the Luni river end in inland marshy areas and do not reach the sea.
⚠ Confusing 'water cycle' with 'water flowing in a river'
✗ The water cycle is the movement of water in a river from mountains to the sea.
→ The water cycle is the continuous movement of water changing forms (evaporation, condensation, precipitation) in nature, not just river flow.
✓ The water cycle is the constant circular movement of water in nature, where water changes from liquid to vapour to liquid again, moving through air, land, and sky.
Compare & Contrast
Fitness for drinking and farming
Freshwater
Saltwater
Freshwater is fit for drinking and farming, while saltwater is not fit for drinking or farming because it contains salt.
Direction of change of state of water
Evaporation
Condensation
Evaporation is the change of liquid water into water vapour (gas) due to heat, while condensation is the change of water vapour back into liquid water due to cooling.
Location of water storage
Surface water
Groundwater
Surface water is found on the Earth's surface in rivers, ponds, and lakes, while groundwater is stored deep underground in layers of soil and rocks.
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: This chapter typically appears with 2-3 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 short answer question (2-3 marks), and 1 long answer question (5 marks) on the water cycle or sources of water.
Most asked: Water cycle (evaporation, condensation, precipitation) · Sources of freshwater (surface water and groundwater) · Difference between freshwater and saltwater · Importance of water conservation and groundwater recharge
Don't skip: Explain the water cycle with a diagram.; What is groundwater? How is it recharged? Why is it important?; Differentiate between freshwater and saltwater with examples.; Describe how rivers flow and shape the land.
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. Most of Earth's water is salty, and only a tiny amount (like a teaspoon in a glass) is freshwater.
  2. Freshwater is essential for drinking, growing crops, and daily activities.
  3. Water exists in three forms: solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (vapour).
  4. The water cycle is the continuous movement of water changing forms through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
  5. Evaporation is when water turns into water vapour due to heat from the Sun.
  6. Condensation is when water vapour cools and turns into water droplets.
  7. Groundwater is water stored underground that comes from rainwater seeping through soil and rocks.
  8. We draw groundwater using wells, borewells, tube wells, and handpumps.
  9. Open lawns, soak pits, ponds, and planting trees help recharge groundwater.
  10. Rivers flow from higher to lower ground, following the shape of the land.
  11. The Luni river is the only major Indian river that does not drain into a sea.
  12. Aquatic plants like lotus and water lily have special features like floating leaves and waxy coatings to survive in water.
  13. A food chain shows who eats whom in an ecosystem.
  14. Johads are traditional earthen dams in Rajasthan for rainwater harvesting.
  15. Hiware Bazar in Maharashtra is a successful example of a water-positive village.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. Which of these is freshwater that we can drink?

  • A. Water from a well ✓
  • B. Water from the ocean
  • C. Water from salt pans
  • D. Seawater from the beach

Answer: A — Well water is freshwater stored underground and free from salt, while ocean and salt pan water contain salt and cannot be drunk.

Q2. If you leave ice in a glass in the sun, what will happen to it?

  • A. It will stay as ice forever
  • B. It will melt and turn into liquid water ✓
  • C. It will sink deeper into the glass
  • D. It will freeze more

Answer: B — The sun's heat causes ice (solid form) to melt and change into water (liquid form).

Q3. Water vapour is water in which form?

  • A. Solid form like ice
  • B. Liquid form like in a cup
  • C. Gas form — invisible steam ✓
  • D. Mixed form with salt

Answer: C — Water vapour is the invisible gas form of water created when water is heated and evaporates into the air.

Q4. Where does rainwater go after it falls on the ground? (Fill in the blank) Rainwater soaks into the soil and becomes ______.

  • A. surface water
  • B. groundwater ✓
  • C. seawater
  • D. saltwater

Answer: B — Rainwater soaks through soil layers and gets stored underground as groundwater, which is tapped by wells and handpumps.

Q5. What does a johad do in villages of Rajasthan?

  • A. It sells drinking water to people
  • B. It collects rainwater and helps recharge groundwater ✓
  • C. It removes salt from ocean water
  • D. It takes water away from villages

Answer: B — Johads are traditional small earthen dams that collect and store rainwater, helping water soak into the ground to recharge groundwater supplies.

Q6. If all the water on Earth fit in a big glass, freshwater would only fill _____.

  • A. half the glass
  • B. a teaspoon ✓
  • C. a bucket
  • D. a bathtub

Answer: B — The chapter teaches that freshwater is very scarce — only about a teaspoon out of a full glass of 200ml represents Earth's freshwater.

Q7. Which process is shown when water droplets form on a cold glass in Activity 2?

  • A. Evaporation — water becomes invisible vapour
  • B. Condensation — vapour cools and becomes liquid water ✓
  • C. Freezing — water turns to ice
  • D. Melting — ice turns to water

Answer: B — When cold ice makes the glass cold, water vapour in the air touching the glass cools down and condenses into visible liquid droplets.

Q8. Looking at the water cycle diagram, what causes water to rise from the ocean as vapour?

  • A. Cold wind blowing
  • B. Rain falling down
  • C. Heat from the sun ✓
  • D. Fish swimming

Answer: C — The sun's heat energy causes water from oceans, rivers, and lakes to evaporate and turn into invisible water vapour that rises into the air.

Q9. Ocean water cannot be used for drinking because it _____.

  • A. is too cold
  • B. contains salt ✓
  • C. has no oxygen
  • D. is too deep

Answer: B — Saltwater in oceans is not drinkable because the salt makes it unsafe for humans, animals, and plants to consume.

Q10. How is groundwater useful to villages without rivers nearby?

  • A. It is not useful at all
  • B. It provides drinking water through wells and handpumps ✓
  • C. It makes the soil harder
  • D. It creates floods in villages

Answer: B — Groundwater stored underground can be accessed by digging wells, borewells, and handpumps, giving villages a reliable water source even without nearby rivers.

Flashcards

What is freshwater?

Water without salt that humans, animals, and plants can drink and use for living.

Name the three forms of water.

Solid (ice), liquid (water), and vapour (steam).

What is the water cycle?

The constant circular movement where water evaporates into vapour, forms clouds, falls as rain, and returns to oceans and rivers.

How much of Earth's water is freshwater?

Only about a teaspoon full out of a full glass — most water on Earth is salty ocean water.

What is groundwater?

Water that soaks through soil and rocks and gets stored deep underground in layers below the surface.

Name three ways to get groundwater.

Wells, borewells, tube wells, and handpumps are dug deep into ground to draw out water.

What happens when ice is left in sunlight?

Ice melts and turns into liquid water because heat energy from the sun makes the solid form change.

What are johads?

Traditional small earthen dams built in Rajasthan to collect rainwater and refill the water underground.

Why do water droplets form on a cold glass?

Water vapour in the air touches the cold glass and cools down, changing from invisible gas to visible liquid droplets.

Name two freshwater sources found near homes or villages in India.

Lakes, rivers, wells, borewells, handpumps, ponds, and tanks that collect rainwater.

Important Board Questions

What is freshwater? Name one place near your home where you can find freshwater. [1 mark]

Define freshwater as water without salt. Give any local example: well, tap, lake, river, handpump, or tank.

Draw and label the three forms of water. Write one sentence about each. [2 marks]

Draw ice (solid), water in cup (liquid), and steam from pot (vapour/gas). Label each and write: solid is hard, liquid flows, vapour is invisible gas.

Explain with an example how the water cycle works in nature. What role does the sun play? [3 marks]

Describe: sun heats water (evaporation) → water becomes vapour and rises → cools to form clouds (condensation) → falls as rain → returns to rivers/oceans. Example: rain falling, soaking into ground, or flowing to rivers.

What is groundwater? How do people in villages use groundwater? Draw a simple diagram showing how rainwater becomes groundwater. [5 marks]

Define: water stored deep underground in soil and rock layers. Uses: drinking from wells, handpumps, borewells, tube wells. Diagram: show rain falling → soaking through soil layers → collecting underground below roots. Label: rain, soil, rocks, groundwater, well/handpump.

True or False: Ocean water can be used for drinking. Write one reason for your answer. [2 marks]

Answer: False. Reason: Ocean water contains salt, making it undrinkable for humans, animals, and plants. Only freshwater without salt is safe to drink.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Water

Q1. Assertion (A):

Most of Earth's water is freshwater that we can drink.

Reason (R):

Freshwater is found in oceans and seas, which cover most of Earth's surface.

Answer: D — A is false but R is true — The assertion is false — most of Earth's water is saltwater, not freshwater. The reason is also false because oceans contain saltwater, not freshwater.

Q2. Assertion (A):

Water can change from ice to liquid water when heated.

Reason (R):

Heat causes ice to melt into liquid water, which is shown in Activity 2.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why ice melts when heated. This demonstrates the change of water forms.

Q3. Assertion (A):

The water cycle continuously moves water between Earth and the atmosphere.

Reason (R):

Rainwater stays in rivers forever and never returns to the atmosphere.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is true — water constantly evaporates, forms clouds, and falls as rain. However, the reason is false because rainwater evaporates and returns to the atmosphere through the water cycle.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Water

Case Study:

Arun was helping his grandmother in the kitchen. He left a pot of water on the kitchen shelf in the morning. By afternoon, he noticed the water level in the pot had become lower. His grandmother told him that the water did not leak, but it went into the air. Later, Arun poured ice cubes into a glass and saw water droplets forming on the outside of the glass. He remembered learning about different forms of water in school.

Q1. Where did the water from the pot go?

  • A. Into the floor
  • B. Into the air as water vapour ✓
  • C. Into the ground
  • D. Into the kitchen wall

Answer: B

Q2. What form of water did Arun observe forming on the outside of the glass with ice cubes?

  • A. Steam
  • B. Ice
  • C. Water droplets ✓
  • D. Snow

Answer: C

Q3. Which form of water changed in both situations Arun observed?

  • A. Only solid water
  • B. Only liquid water
  • C. Water changed between different forms ✓
  • D. No form of water changed

Answer: C

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