the hydrosphere Flashcards
1
Q
what is the hydrosphere?
A
the collective mass of water found on, under, and over the surface of Earth
2
Q
what is the hydrosphere made of?
A
water vapour, clouds of water, ice, snow, oceans
3
Q
how do oceans regulate Earth’s temperatures?
A
acts as “heat reservoir”; temperature changes slowly and by small amounts
water has a large specific heat capacity
4
Q
what is specific heat capacity?
A
amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of substance by one degree Celsius
5
Q
what is albedo?
A
the fraction of incident light or electromagnetic radiation that is reflected by the surface of an object
an object’s ability to reflect sunlight
