Earth's Water Flashcards

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1
Q

Runoff

A

Water that flows over earth’s surface

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2
Q

Watershed

A

An area of land that drains runoff into a particular stream, lake, ocean, or other body of water

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3
Q

Water table

A

Upper limit of saturated zone

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4
Q

Ground water

A

Water that lies below ground

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5
Q

Wetlands

A

Area of land that is covered with a shallow layer of water during some or all of the year

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6
Q

Aquifer

A

An area of permeable sediment or rock that holds significant amounts of water

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7
Q

What are three types of wetlands?

A

Marshes, swamps, and bogs

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8
Q

What is the difference between saturated ground and unsaturated ground? How is that related to the water table?

A

The saturated zone is totally filled with water, while the unsaturated zone contains air and water that can not be saturated.

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9
Q

Describe how the unique property of water having a lower density when frozen protects life on earth.

A

In the winter when the top part of lakes freeze (at 4 degrees celcius), the fish are safe because the ice stays on top and insulates the animals from the cold air. When the ice freezes it expands.

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10
Q

Explain how upwellings and currents affect our environment and climate.

A

Upwelling generates some of the world’s most fertile ecosystems.
Ocean currents act as conveyor belts of warm and cold water, sending heat toward the polar regions and helping tropical areas cool off.

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11
Q

Explain how wetlands are important for our environment. (you may need to use your book)

A

Wetlands function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters.

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12
Q

Condensation

A

Gas changing to liquid

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13
Q

Evaporation

A

Liquid changing to gas at surface

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14
Q

Polarity

A

Condition which opposite ends of a molecule have slightly opposite charges

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15
Q

Cohesion

A

The attraction among molecules that are alike

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16
Q

Adhesion

A

The attraction among molecules that are not alike

17
Q

Water can exist in 3 seperate states. What are they?

A

Solid, liquid, and gas

18
Q

A majority of freshwater is where?

A

In glaciers and groundwater

19
Q

What is the chemical formula for water?

A

H20 (the 2 is a little beneath the H and the 0 but I don’t know how to type that)

20
Q

Salinity

A

A measure of the mass of dissolved solids in a mass of water

21
Q

Gyre

A

Circular system of currents (Northern Hemisphere- clockwise Southern Hemisphere- counter clockwise)

22
Q

Coriolis effect

A

Movement of wind and weather to the right or left due to earth’s rotation

23
Q

Upwelling

A

Vertical movement of water toward the ocean’s surface

24
Q

Tides

A

Periodic rise and fall of the ocean’s surface

25
Q

The 3 zones - surface, middle, and deep - and where bioluminescence, photosynthesis, and blue/green light correspond to which zone?

A

Surface zone - photosynthesis
Middle zone - blue/green light
Deep zone - bioluminescence

26
Q

What is the Great Ocean Conveyor Belt?

A

Global belt of surface currents and density currents distributes thermal energy on earth