chapter 27.3 Flashcards
infiltration
the process by which water enters earth and becomes groundwater below the surface
water table
the upper boundary of the saturated zone
Aquifer
a rock unit that can transfer water through its pore space
porosity
the percentage of pore space volume
what percentage of water on earth is salt water
97%
what percentage of water on earth is fresh water
3%
where is the majority of freshwater found
in glaciers
where is the smaller percentage of fresh water found
found in lakes rivers and ground water
what is precipitation
when water vapor in the air cools and condenses, a few forms of precipitation is rain, and snow
what is runoff
water running off the land surface
what is infiltration
the process by which water enters earth and becomes ground water below the surface
what is transpiration
when plants release water vapor into the atmosphere through their leaves
what is evaporation
when water enters the atmosphere as water vapor
what is condensation
when water vapor collides with other water vapor molecules to form water droplets
what is the water cycle
water on land that enters the atmosphere and then comes back to the land