environmental cycles Flashcards
water cycle
a biogeochemical cycle that involves the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth
transpiration
evaporation of water from plants
condensation
water which collects as droplets on a cold surface when humid air is in contact with it
precipitation
water released from clouds in the form of rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, or hail
surface run off
is the unconfined flow of water over the ground surface
infiltration
the process where precipitation or water infuses into subsurface soils, is absorbed by the soil, and travels deeper through pore spaces and cracks into rocks
ground water flow
the movement of water underground through the spaces and cracks between soil particles
aquifer
a water-bearing rock that readily transmits water to wells and springs
evaporation
liquid water transitions to water vapor in the atmosphere. It occurs when sunlight warms the surface of water, causing water molecules to move faster and escape as a gas
freezing
liquid water turns into a solid (ice)
melting
solid ice gains heat and changes state to liquid water. The Sun’s heat causes glaciers and snow to melt into liquid water, which goes into oceans, lakes, and streams
sublimation
the direct conversion of ice or snow into water vapor (gas) without first melting into liquid water
deposition
The process where water vapor (gas) changes directly into ice (solid) without going through the liquid phase
percolation
movement of water through the soil itself
carbon cycle
the series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment, involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels
volcanic eruptions
releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
photosynthesis
green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize nutrients from carbon dioxide and water.
carbon sequestration
the process of capturing, securing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
cellular respiration
a process through which cells convert sugars into energy
decomposition
the state or process of rotting; decay
fossilisation
minerals replace the constituents of bones, turning them to stone
limestone weathering
When rainwater, which contains a weak carbonic acid, reacts with limestone, it causes the limestone to dissolve
combustion of fossil fuels
process of burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, to produce energy
deforestation and fires
destruction of forest cover caused by fire
nitrogen Cycle
biogeochemical process that converts the inert nitrogen present in the atmosphere to a more usable form for living organisms
atmospheric nitrogen fixation
atmospheric nitrogen gas is converted to nitrogenous compounds and bounded or stored in the soil by various bacteria
assimilation
carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide is incorporated into organic molecules
consumption
national emissions that have been adjusted for trade
ammonification
microscopic organisms break down nitrogen-containing chemicals from dead organic matter into simpler substances like ammonia
denitrification
Denitrification is a microbially facilitated process where nitrate is reduced and ultimately produces molecular nitrogen
nitrogen fixation by bacteria
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria are prokaryotic microorganisms that can transform nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into “fixed nitrogen” compounds, such as ammonia, that are usable by plants
nitrification
Nitrification is the biological process in the nitrogen cycle that converts ammonia or ammonium compounds to nitrites and then to nitrates
