The hydrosphere (worksheet #1) Flashcards
What is the hydrosphere?
Earth’s outer layer of water
- The hydrosphere is composed mainly of ____ water.
2. Where is the 2.5% of ______ water found?
- 97.5% salt water
2. 2.5% fresh water (79% frozen in glaciers, 21% in lakes and rivers)
What does a hydrologist study?
Water
Where are freshwater bodies found?
On continents
What is a watershed?
Area of land whose lakes and rivers all empty into the same larger body of water
What is a subwatershed?
A watershed within a larger watershed
What is a watershed divide?
Natural boundaries that make up the limits of a watershed
What are 5 factors that impact watersheds?
- Topography (shape/slope of land)
- Geology (type of rock found on land)
- Climate (frequency rain or snow)
- Vegetation
- Agriculture, industrial/urban development
How does the shape/slope of the land impact watersheds?
The steeper the slope, the easier the water flow
How does the type of rock found on the land impact watersheds?
Rocks that are porous or crushed will have better flow
How does the climate impact watersheds?
More rain or snow causes even quicker flow
How does the vegetation impact watersheds?
Wooded areas will slow the water flow
How does agriculture, industrial/urban development impact watersheds?
Dams can prevent water flow entirely
What are the 5 oceans?
- Pacific
- Atlantic
- Indian
- Arctic
- Southern
What 3 things affect water temperature?
- Depth
- Seasons
- Latitude
How do the seasons affect water temperature?
Oceans lose some heat during winter. Water loses heat more slowly than land causing less pronounced temp. differences
How does latitude affect water temperature?
Warmer at the equator than in temperate zones
What are the 3 layers of the ocean?
- Mixed layer
- Thermocline
- Deeper water
Explain the relationship between the depth of water and the temperature.
As depth increases, temperature decreases. Mixed layer is warmer bc it is receiving sunlight
What is salinity?
Amount of salt dissolved in a liquid
How does the ocean become salty?
Seawater pounds against rocks and dissolved the salt found in rocks
Where is the seawater more diluted in salt and why?
At the poles bc ice packs and glaciers are melting, which dilutes seawater
Where is the seawater the least diluted and why?
Warmer areas at the equator bc the water evaporates but the salt doesnt
What is the ocean current?
Movement of seawater in a certain direction
Surface currents
- What are they caused by?
- How do they move?
- Where are they found?
- Winds
- Horizontally
- 400m of water and below the surface
What are subsurface currents caused by?
Variations in density between layers
- As temp. ______ in a liquid, substance’s volume ____, resulting in ______ density.
- As salinity ____, density _______.
- As temp. decreases in a liquid, substance’s volume decreases, resulting in higher density. (colder the water, higher the density and it will sink)
- As salinity increases, density decreases
Surface and subsurface currents are connected and move around the Earth like a huge conveyer belt, which is caused by?
Thermohaline circulation
What is the thermohaline circulation?
Ocean waters are in constant motion
Why is thermohaline circulation important?
- Regulates climate (moves heat from tropics to poles)
2. Transfers nutrients (moves warm sruface water down, forces cold nutrient rich water up)
