Chapter 9–The Hydrosphere Flashcards
Where is the Earth’s water located?
Over 97% is in the oceans and useless for human consumption or agriculture.
Lakes and rivers are an extremely small amount of the Earth’s surface freshwater.
Three-fourths of the world’s freshwater is found in glaciers, mostly Antarctica and Greenland
But how accessible to humans is water from glaciers?
only 2% of the available to humans
The Hydrologic Cycle involves continuous circulation of water in the Earth-Atmosphere system.
At its core, the motion of water from the ground to the atmosphere and back again.
Groundwater movement occurs on and beneath Earth’s surface.
Energy is transferred around the Earth in the Hydrologic Cycle?
by the sun, turns to latent heat then goes through the cycle
The Oceans
The surface of the Earth is 71% covered by water, mostly oceans
Characteristics of ocean waters include
chemical composition, acidity, temperature, and density.
Wind and Coriolis Effect
Drives /directs surface ocean currents
Deep ocean currents, however, are powered by thermohaline circulation beginning in polar regions.
Why should toy care?
-When sea ice forms, surrounding seawater gets saltier, increases in density, and sinks.
-This deep-water circulation may control aspects of Earth’s climate
What is the Cryosphere? Where is it? Permanent ice on Earth
Ice/glacier of the planet can be both found on land and (floating in) water
What is Permafrost?
Permanently frozen subsoil
Why might the thawing of the world’s permafrost have an impact on global temperature?
Because of the warm temperatures of the water and the currents it brings it could ruin the deep ocean circulation
Groundwaters
After glaciers, groundwater is where most of Earth’s remaining freshwater is found.
Over half of Earth’s population depends on underground water for drinking and irrigation.
Groundwater moves in the same general direction (but much more slowly) as surface water above.
Groundwater movement and storage is determined by rock porosity and permeability.
Aquifers are underground rock structures with pore space capable of holding and passing water.
Aquicludes are underground rock structures that are impermeable to the flow of water
-Contains water but does not permit water to flow through it (e.g., clay, shale).
Water Table marks the underground boundary between zone of aeration and zone of saturation.
-zone of aeration near the surface contains more air than water in pore spaces.
-zone of saturation below the water table contains more water than air in pore spaces.
Excessive pumping from wells can produce a cone of depression underground.
this can potentially deprive nearby shallower wells of water. (Consult diagrams in your text.)
The Ogallala Aquifer
is part of the High Plains Aquifer, an important source of irrigation water.
