ISP217 Exam 1 Flashcards
Polarity
H2O molecules are polar, meaning they have a more positive side and a more negative side, causing the molecules to connect to each other.
-best solvent for salt
-high surface tension
high latent heat
Specific Heat
Amount of energy required to raise temperature by 1 degree Celsius.
Infiltration
Precipitation seeps into the ground.
Evapotranspiration
Evaporation from ground and transpiration from plants.
Atmospheric Advection
Water transported from sea to land by wind.
Convection
Heat passed through contact.
Water Table
Layer of saturated soil above an unconfined aquifer.
Vadose Zone
Unsaturated soil above water table above unconfined aquifer.
Aquitard
Zone of clay/non-porous rock that stops flow from one aquifer to another.
Ogallala aquifer
Central U.S., recharge is 10% annual withdrawal. Porous material changing, limiting recharge permanently.
Visible Light
A small portion of the wavelength spectrum. 50% of all solar radiation.
UV Light
Vitamin D, sunburn/cataracts - damage at the molecular level, but most blocked by ozone and O2.
Infrared Light
Emanated by warm objects - rattlesnakes hunt.
Heats water by causing vibration.
Mexico City
Sinking a few inches every year because of depletion of water in aquifer.
Energy that drives weather
Radiation (Sun), thermal (heat air + water), mechanical (wind/water currents)
Condensation Level
Height at whig air becomes saturated because of cooling (due to expansion) and condenses into clouds.
Convection
Rising air expands, cools, relative humidity rises until condensation of water vapor occurs above condensation level.
Circulation Cell
Air heated most (equator), rises through troposphere, hits the stratosphere and starts moving laterally across the top of the troposphere, cools, sinks. Repeat.
Factors that affect air density
Temperature and water content.
Dense Air
Heavier, cooler, drier
Attenuate
How water is less available through water.
Water/dissolved chemicals/particles (phytoplankton, suspended sediment).
Attentuation Coefficient
K - how fast light attenuated - larger K = more attentuation
Compensation Depth
Where there is neither an increase nor a decrease in O2 - where respiration and photosynthesis produce and consume the same amount of oxygen.
Density of water
Mass per unit of volume.
Freshwater is densest at 1 degree C = 1 g/mL
Ice much less dense than water.
Warm water less dense than cold water.
Temperature Profiles
Spring - isothermal, complete mixing
Summer - stratification
Fall - isothermal
Winter - stratification
Ocean Water
Density at 4 degrees C is 1.028 g/mL
Freezes at -2 degrees (max density)
Salinity
Lowest in arctic (cool/wet)
Highest at Tropic of Cancer (warm/dry)
Lower at the tropics (warm/wet)
Spatial variation of density
Driven by temp
Highest in south, then north, then tropics
Wave height
Due to wind speed, duration, fetch
