Key words Flashcards
carbon and water cycles
precipitation
any form of water falling from the sky including rain snow, sleet or hail. water dropping from clouds onto the ground.
carbon and water cycles
infiltration
when water soaks into the ground, moving through tiny spaces of soil and rock.
carbon and water cycles
interception
when rain or snow gets caught in trees, leaves or other plants before reaching the ground.
carbon and water cycles
transpiration
water released from plants through tiny pores in their leaves, turning from liquid to water vapour.
carbon and water cycles
evaporation
when water turns from liquid into gas (water vapour) due to heat from the sun.
carbon and water cycles
condensation
water vapour cooling down and turning back into liquid droplets. this is what creates clouds in the sky.
carbon and water cycles
ground water
water stored in spaces between rocks and soil underground.
carbon and water cycles
aquifer
a underground layer of rocl or sediment that can hold and transmit water
carbon and water cycles
surface runoff
water that flows over the ground surface when the land cant absorb any more water. this happens during heavy rain and create streams and rivers.
carbon and water cycles
stem flow
water that runs down the trunk or stem of a plant after being intercepted by leaves
carbon and water cycles
channel flow
the movment of water through river channels from higher to lower elevations
carbon and water cycles
channel storage
the amount of water being held within channels at any given time
carbon and water cycles
carbon sink
something that absorbs and stores carbon, like orests, oceans or soil
carbon and water cycles
carbon source
anything that releases carbon into the atmosphere, such as factories, cars or volcanic eruptions
carbon and water cycles
photosynthesis
the process where plantsuse sunight to turn carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen
carbon and water cycles
respiration
when living things (plants, animals, microorganisms) break down food and release carbon dioxide. it’s basically the opposite of photosynthsis.
carbon and water cycles
decomposition
the process of organic matter breaking down and realesing carbon into back into the environment. think of how dead leaves slowly rotand release nutrients.
carbon and water cycles
fossil fuels
ancient organic materials like coal, oil and natural gas that release carbon when they are burned.
carbon and water cycles
carbon sequestration
the process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide to reduce it presence in the atmosphere.
carbon and water cycles
biomass
the total mass of living organisms in a specific area, which plays a crucial role in storing and moving carbon.
carbon and water cycles
anthropgenic
caused or produced by human activities. in the context of carbon cycles, it often refers to human-made carbon emissions.
carbon and water cycles
greenhouse effect
when certain gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun, keeping the planet warm. its a natural blanket around the earth.
carbon and water cycles
weathering
the process of breaking down rocks and minerals at the earths surface through physical, chemical and biological processes
carbon and water cycles
pedosphere
the layer of soil that covers the earths surface, including all the dierent types of soil and their interactions. its like the earth living skin madde up of rocks, minerals, organic matter and living organisms.
