Hydrosphere ST & EST Flashcards
What is the definition of a watershed?
A catchment area of land whose lakes and rivers all empty into the same larger body of water.
What does the term “upstream”?
Refers to the where the water is coming from in relation to a given position
What does the term “downstream” mean?
Refers to where the water is flowing in relation to this position
How does human activity effect watersheds?
Because water always flows down a slope, it can carry pollution from areas above
What human activity effects watersheds?
-Creating a reservoir or navigation channel
-irrigating soil
-fertilizing soil
-draining or filling wetlands
What three factors effect surface currents?
-Tides
-Coriolis effect
-Wind
What effect Subsurface currents?
Differences in density - Changes in temperature and salinity (colder & saltier water are denser)
What decreases water salinity
-Pack ice melting
-Precipitation and river input
-Glaciers melting decreases salinity
What increases water salinity?
-Pack ice forming
-Evaporation
What is the Coriolis effect
It is the earth’s rotation effecting surface level currents
What is the role of the thermohaline circulation
It is responsible for the major heat transfers around the water because water can absorb heat and transfers it to the atmosphere
Where does the thermohaline circulation start
The Gulf of Mexico
What is the difference between pack ice and glacier
Glacier is a mass of ice formed on land formed by compressed snow and pack ice is made up of brackish water.
How does pack ice melting effect the thermohaline circulation?
It slows down the thermohaline circulation because it dilutes the water meaning there is less water at the bottom of ocean therefore the water wont move.
How does glaciers melting effect the thermohaline circulation
It slows it down because it dilutes the seawater
Where is Glaciers found?
In Greenland and Antarctica as well as mountain peaks.
Where is pack ice found?
Floating on the oceans near the South and North poles
What does pack ice forming increasing or decrease salinity
-increases salinity
Does pack ice melting increase or decrease salinity and sea levels?
-does not effect sea levels
-decreases salinity
Does melting of glaciers effect sea levels/salinity?
-Increases Sea levels
-Decreases salinity
Does precipitation increase salinity
No it dilutes sea water
Does heat and drought increase the salinity of the ocean
Yes it does
Does river input of water increase the salinity of the ocean?
No it dilutes it
Does strong surface winds increase salinity
Yes it does
Which substances contain electrolytes
Acids, Bases and salts (ABS)
Name an example of a basic solution
Cleaners
Name an example of an acidic solution
Lemon juice
Why does a block of salt have no electrical conductivity
Because it has not been dissolved in water. Once it is dissolved, that allows the ions to become mobile and to separate into opposite charges (this is called electrolytic disassociation allowing the solution to conduct electricity.
Properties of an acid:
-pH less than 7
-electrolytes
-can be identified by a sour taste
-acid formula starts with hydrogen (H)
-metals react with acids and release hydrogen gas
Properties of a base:
-pH greater than 7
-Electrolytes
-found in cleaning products as well as heartburn medication
-has a bitter taste
-slippery
-the formula starts with a metal and ends with the the group OH
-bases do not react with metal
Properties of salts:
-Neutral salts have a pH of 7
-electrolytes
-enhances the taste of food
-most salts are made up of a metal and non-metal
What is the definition of electrolytic disassociation
Electrolytic disassociation is the separation of a dissolved compound into two ions of the opposite charge
What are the two products of neutralization
Salt and Water
What are the water contaminates
-Pesticides
-Fertilizers (contains nitrogen & phosphorus)
-Heavy metals
-Animal waste
-Oil
-Wastewater
-Plastics
-Radioactive waste
What are the two kinds of wastewater treatment and where would it be ideal to use them?
1) Sceptic tanks; in homes not hooked up to a sewer system
2) Wastewater treatment plants; built near urban areas
Which elements can wastewater contain
-Sand and other suspended
particles
-Pathogens
-Decomposing organic waste
-Nutrients that stimulate the excessive growth of algae and other aquatic plants
-chemicals
How do you make an electrolyte stronger?
By increasing the electrolytic dissociation
What is eutrophication
The process of which water loses its oxygen because of excessive accumulation of organic matter & nutrients
What is the process of eutrophication
1) agriculture run-off
2) accelerated growth in algae & aquatic plants
3)algae blooms and prevents sunlight from getting in causing other aquatic life tooxygen becomes depleted
4)
What is the process of eutrophication
1) agriculture run-off
2) accelerated growth in algae aquatic plants
3)algae blooms and prevents sunlight from getting in causing other aquatic life to die;oxygen becomes depleted
4) because of the dead life decomposers will take up even more oxygen while they go through the decomposing process
5) death of ecosystem
