Hydrosphere Flashcards
The transfer of heat by horizontal movement of air or water such as a warm wind or ocean current.
Advection
The layers of gases that surround the Earth. The important gases in the atmosphere are nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Atmosphere
A type of sedimentary rock.
Chalk
Once water is held in a river, it then flows to the sea where it is lost to the drainage basin system.
Channel flow
The combination of three processes - surface run off, through flow and groundwater.
Channel storage
Average weather conditions over long periods and over large areas.
Climate
Occurs where air is cooled and changes from a gas into water droplets.
Condensation
The process in which a liquid changes state and turns into a gas.
Evaporation
Energy derived from the heat in the interior of the Earth.
Geothermal energy
A slow moving ice mass, formed over a long period from compacted snow.
Glacier
Water is stored beneath the water table in pores, joints and bedding places of permeable rock above an impermeable layer.
Groundwater storage
The movement of precipitation into the soil.
Infiltration
The ability of vegetation to affect the amount of precipitation reaching the ground.
Interception
When water moved downwards through soil.
Percolation
Moisture that falls from the air to the ground. Includes rain, snow, hail, sleet, drizzle, fog and mist.
Precipitation
Occurs if the precipitation is heavy and the ground is saturated and incapable of absorbing all of the water so excess water flows over the surface.
Run-off
The soil becomes saturated through infiltration.
Soil water storage
Radiant energy emitted by the sun.
Solar energy
Intercepted water may reach the ground as drops from leaves or by flowing down the branches and trunk.
Stem flow
Water lies on the surface until the ground becomes soft enough to absorb the water.
Surface storage
How warm or cold something is.
Temperature
Some water may flow downslope through the subsoil and emerge as springs on the valley sides. It provides a constant flow to help he river even in drier periods.
Through flow
The loss of water from leaves by evaporation through the stomata.
Transpiration
Upper limit of the zone of saturation formed by groundwater storage.
Water table
