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Envi > Hydrosphere > Flashcards

Hydrosphere Flashcards

1
Q

What is Earth known as

A

Pale blue dot - abundance of water
Human civilization arose from water

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2
Q

What are the Physio-chemical properties of water

A

is a good solvent
has a high heat capacity
has a high heat of vaporization
has a relatively high surface tension
is the only natural substance that expands when freezes

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3
Q

What does water have a good solvent mean?

A

Polarity makes it a good solvent for salts, ionic compounds, sugars, amino acids
Good medium to carry dissolved nutrients
It is easily polluted

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4
Q

What does it mean if water has a high heat capacity?

A

The amount of heat needed to raise the temp of 1g of water is 1C
It can absorb large amounts of energy before it gets hot
It can release a large amount of energy when it cools down

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5
Q

Thermohaline Circulation

A

Global heat transport mechanism

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6
Q

What is a high heat of vaporization?

A

The amount of energy needed to convert a substance from liquid to gas
Water releases large amounts of heat when vapor condenses
Heat can be stored when not needed (cooling environment) It can be released when needed (warming the environment)

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7
Q

explain water having a relatively high surface tension

A

Surface tension: a force that holds the surface liquid intact
It gives rise to a unique capillary process in plants (pulling water upward)

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8
Q

Explain water being the only natural substance that expands when it freezes

A

Water is most dense at ~4C (most mass per unit volume)
At high temp, it expands in a more scattered liquid form,
At low temp, it expands as a stable, crystal structure of ice
Fluctuations in water temp generate fluctuations in density

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9
Q

What is the water cycle

A

The movement of water between the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere, and between organisms and their environments
It is a closed-loop (happens in the bounds of the planet)

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10
Q

What are the driving forces of the water cycle

A

The sun and heat from the Earth’s core (it causes water to evaporate and the core also influences geothermal or volcanic activities)

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11
Q

What are watersheds

A

area of land drained by river systems, aka drainage basins
It is like a funnel
It can either flow back or into the ocean or seep underground (groundwater)

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12
Q

Characteristics of groundwater

A

It flows outward through upward movements by underground pressures, uptake by plants, seepage into rivers, or human interventions to extract groundwater (natural springs, wells, pumping)

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13
Q

Where does our supply of freshwater come from

A

surface and groundwater

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14
Q

What is water residence time (WRT)

A

The amount of time a molecule of water stays within a particular stage of the water cycle
WRT depends on mobility: how easily can it move

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15
Q

How can we understand WRT

A

Greater mobility (flows) means shorter residence time
Water vapor has the shortest WRT
Ice caps have the longest WRT

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16
Q

How does WRT impact pollution

A

Shorter WRT: pollutants can be flushed out
Longer WRT: pollutants take a longer time to flush out

17
Q

Is water renewable?

A

It depends on the course of water and its WRT (it can become unusable when limits of pollution are reached)

18
Q

What are the human uses of water

A

Ecological services
Economic services

19
Q

What are the 2 different human uses of water

A

Consumptive: Any use in which water is removed and not returned
Nonconsumptive: Any use in which water is either not removed, or only temporarily removed

20
Q

What are the different consumptive uses of water

A

Municipal or domestic: Everyday household use
Industrial: Different processes and cooling water
Agricultural: Irrigation (biggest demand in developing countries; diets and lifestyle)
Our lifestyle and diet have a great impact on water

21
Q

What are the different non-consumptive use of water

A

Hydropower is the largest nonconsumptive use (energy source with high economic investment)
Water can be diverted to be used to cool industrial machines and then returned (returned water can be much hotter causing thermal shock)

22
Q

What are the threats to water

A

Pollution
Nutrient pollution
Biodegradable wastes
Sediments and suspended matter
Thermal pollution (thermal shock)
Heavy metals (Minamita disease)
Saltwater intrusion
Carbon dioxide
Destruction of watersheds
Climate change

23
Q

How does pollution affect water

A

Water is vulnerable to pollution easily affecting the quality of water
Changes in the chemical, physical, or biological properties of water caused by humans
Toxic chemicals: Pesticides, Pathogens, and waterborne diseases

24
Q

How does nutrient pollution affect water

A

Nitrates and phosphates as common pollutants of marine and freshwater systems
It can come from runoff from human settlements
An abundance of nutrients fertilize algae and aquatic plants that deplete dissolved oxygen
Phytoplankton blooms deplete oxygen

25
Q

How does biodegradable waste affect water

A

These wastes can be decomposed by aerobic bacteria resulting in dead zones because of oxygen depletion
Common problems in fish farms (oxygen gets depleted resulting in fish kills)

26
Q

How does sediments and suspended matter affect water

A

It decreases water quality decreasing the potential for photosynthesis (light won’t be able to pass)
Sediments can carry pesticides, bacteria, and other pollutants
Can destroy feeding and spawning sites

27
Q

How does Thermal pollution affect water

A

Thermal pollution (thermal shock) may ill local biodiversity due to the sudden change of temp and it can also lessen oxygen levels
Caused by discharging a radically different temp into the water

28
Q

How does heavy metals affect water

A

It is when people release heavy metals into the water
Minamata disease: A company releasing mercury in the water poisoning fish causing people to also be poisoned

29
Q

Saltwater intrusion

A

Common threat to groundwater
Groundwater and saltwater have a natural interface and seaward pressure and movement of freshwater prevent saltwater from encroaching

30
Q

How does carbon dioxide affect water

A

Oceans become more acidic as they soak up CO2 triggering ocean acidification

31
Q

How does the destruction of watersheds affect water

A

Deforestation also affects water since forests are part of watersheds: keep and recharge water in a watershed
Deforestation makes watersheds prone to soil erosion which can contribute to water pollution

32
Q

How does climate change affect water

A

Higher temp cause more evaporation causing more and stronger typhoons and damaging forests and other areas
High temp causes sea level to rise causing saltwater intrusion

33
Q

What are the strategies of water management

A

Build more dams
Protect wetlands
Rationalize water used to reduce water lost to seepage or evaporation; switch to more water-efficient crops
Recycling water

Envi (7 decks)

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