ISP217 Exam 1

Question 1

Polarity

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Specific Heat

Answer 2

Amount of energy required to raise temperature by 1 degree Celsius.

Question 3

Infiltration

Answer 3

Precipitation seeps into the ground.

Question 4

Evapotranspiration

Answer 4

Evaporation from ground and transpiration from plants.

Question 5

Atmospheric Advection

Answer 5

Water transported from sea to land by wind.

Question 6

Convection

Answer 6

Heat passed through contact.

Question 7

Water Table

Answer 7

Layer of saturated soil above an unconfined aquifer.

Question 8

Vadose Zone

Answer 8

Unsaturated soil above water table above unconfined aquifer.

Question 9

Aquitard

Answer 9

Zone of clay/non-porous rock that stops flow from one aquifer to another.

Question 10

Ogallala aquifer

Answer 10

Central U.S., recharge is 10% annual withdrawal. Porous material changing, limiting recharge permanently.

Question 11

Visible Light

Answer 11

A small portion of the wavelength spectrum. 50% of all solar radiation.

Question 12

UV Light

Answer 12

Vitamin D, sunburn/cataracts - damage at the molecular level, but most blocked by ozone and O2.

Question 13

Infrared Light

Answer 13

Emanated by warm objects - rattlesnakes hunt.

Heats water by causing vibration.

Question 14

Mexico City

Answer 14

Sinking a few inches every year because of depletion of water in aquifer.

Question 15

Energy that drives weather

Answer 15

Radiation (Sun), thermal (heat air + water), mechanical (wind/water currents)

Question 16

Condensation Level

Answer 16

Height at whig air becomes saturated because of cooling (due to expansion) and condenses into clouds.

Question 17

Convection

Answer 17

Rising air expands, cools, relative humidity rises until condensation of water vapor occurs above condensation level.

Question 18

Circulation Cell

Answer 18

Air heated most (equator), rises through troposphere, hits the stratosphere and starts moving laterally across the top of the troposphere, cools, sinks. Repeat.

Question 19

Factors that affect air density

Answer 19

Temperature and water content.

Question 20

Dense Air

Answer 20

Heavier, cooler, drier

Question 21

Attenuate

Answer 21

How water is less available through water.

Water/dissolved chemicals/particles (phytoplankton, suspended sediment).

Question 22

Attentuation Coefficient

Answer 22

K - how fast light attenuated - larger K = more attentuation

Question 23

Compensation Depth

Answer 23

Where there is neither an increase nor a decrease in O2 - where respiration and photosynthesis produce and consume the same amount of oxygen.

Question 24

Density of water

Answer 24

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.

Question 25

Temperature Profiles

Answer 25

Spring - isothermal, complete mixing
Summer - stratification
Fall - isothermal
Winter - stratification

Question 26

Ocean Water

Answer 26

Density at 4 degrees C is 1.028 g/mL

Freezes at -2 degrees (max density)

Question 27

Salinity

Answer 27

Lowest in arctic (cool/wet)
Highest at Tropic of Cancer (warm/dry)
Lower at the tropics (warm/wet)

Question 28

Spatial variation of density

Answer 28

Driven by temp

Highest in south, then north, then tropics

Question 29

Wave height

Answer 29

Due to wind speed, duration, fetch