Hydrosphere Flashcards
an area of land that drains all streams and rainfall into a common outlet
watershed
the amount of time a water molecule stays within a particular stage of the hydrologic cycle
residence time
process of increasing nutrients (phosphates/nitrates) resulting in algal bloom
eutrophication
pumping out contaminated water and treatment by filtration, oxidation, air stripping (volatilization of contaminant in an air column), or biological processes
extraction wells
use of vapor-extraction well and then treatment
vapor extraction
injection of nutrients and oxygen to encourage growth of organisms that degrade the contaminant in the groundwater
bioremediation
use of contact treatment as contaminated water plume moves through a treatment bed in the path of groundwater movement; neutralization of the contaminant by chemical, physical, or biological processes
permeable treatment bed
- measured to determine the oxidizing or reducing potential of a substance
- can indicate ability of water body to chemically break down pollutants
redox potential
the amount of oxygen consumed by chemical oxidation of matter in water
Chemical Oxygen Demand
- measure of hydrogen ions in solution
- referred to as the degree of acidity or alkalinity
- affects most chemical and biological processes
- one of the most important environmental limiting factors
pH
- the concentration of dissolved mineral salts present in waters and soils on a unit volume or weight basis
- govern physical characteristics like density and heat capacity
- related to other physico-chemical parameters
salinity
- the measurement of the ability of an aqueous solution to transfer an electrical current
- increased conductivity w concentrations of ions
conductivity
amount of dissolved substances in a volume of water
total dissolved solids
- measure of cloudiness caused predominantly by suspended material in water
- refers to light scattering properties of a sample
- can be described as “haziness”
turbidity
amount of particles that cannot be dissolved in water and remain suspended in the water column
Total Suspended Solids