The hydrosphere/atmosphere/lithosphere Flashcards
What’s the hydrosphere?
Water in all different states present on Earth
What’s a catchment area (whatersheds/drainage basins)?
Lakes and rivers empty into same larger body of water. (Also rain water)
What’s the human disturbances on watersheds?
Creation of a reservoir upstream from hydroelectricity power plant can disturb ecosystems.
Contaminants upstream can spread downstream.
What is an important role of oceans?
Regulate the Earth’s climate.
What influences water temperature?
- Seasons (position of sun)
- Latitude (closer to equator=warmer)
- Depth
Where are oceans less salty?
Near the poles because of melting ice caps which decreases salt concentration.
Where do oceans get the salt?
Erosion of minerals
Name the two types of ocean circulation.
Surface currents and deep currents.
How are surface currents generated?
Wind
How are deep currents generated?
Different densities of water
Does cold water have a smaller density than hot water?
No, cold water has a higher density.
What is thermohaline?
(thermo and saline) combination of wind and different densities of water causing ‘conveyor belt’
What’s the cryosphere?
Frozen water on Earth. (on land)
What are glaciers?
Compressed snow on land.
What are impacts of melting ice?
- Rising waters
- Thermohaline currents are disturbed.
- Global warming
