Chapter 5 Flashcards
Hydrosphere
The mass of water on a planet.
Hydrologic Cycle
The process by which water is continuously exchanged between earth’s various water sources
Transpiration
Emission of water vapor from plants
Condensation
The process by which water vapor turns into liquid water.
Precipitation
Water falling from the atmosphere as rain, snow, sleet, or hail
Distillation
Evaporation and condensation of a mixture to separate out the mixture’s individual components.
Residence time
The average time a given molecule of water will stay in a given water source.
Salinity
A measure of the quantity of dissolved salt in water.
Firn
A dense, icy pack of snow
Water Table
The imaginary line between the water-saturated soil and the soil not saturated with water.
Percolation
The process by which water passes from above the water table to below it.
Adiabatic cooling
The cooling of a gas that happens when the gas expands.
Cloud Condensation Nuclei
Small particles that water vapor condenses on to form clouds.
