8: Factors affecting Earth's Systems Flashcards
A permeable rock layer that can hold or transport water
Aquifer
A violent, usually destructive, natural occurrence
Catastrophic event
The process by which weathered and eroded material is deposited by wind, water, or ice
Deposition
area of land that has a distinct group of plants, animals, and other species
Ecoregion
process by which weathered material is moved by wind, water, or ice
Erosion
water beneath the Earth’s surface
Groundwater
Permeability
ability of a material to allow water to pass through
Recharge zone
surface land area where water enters an aquifer
Surface water
water that collects above the surface of the ground
Watershed
an area of land where all of the groundwater and surface water from the area drains from higher areas to lower areas and into the same body of water
Water Table
the highest level of groundwater in an area, beneath the Earth’s surface
Weathering
process by which exposed rock and other surfaces are broken down; caused by elements of weather (wind, water, ice) or other mechanisms (physical, chemical, biological)