The Water Cycle Flashcards
What drives the water cycle
the sun
Ice and snow sometimes ….. into water vapor
sublimate
What does water do as it rises
condenses
What happens when water condenses
clouds form
Ice caps and glaciers store ……
water
Snow packs …….
melt
Precipitation returns water to …… or ………
ocean;land
Water is continuously recycled. T or F
True
Aquifer
layers of porous rock or sand
allow water seepage
saturation occurs
Aquifers are also considered
groundwater
Theories of where Earth’s water came from
cooling of Earth caused water to condense
torrential rains formed most of oceans
comets and water rich asteroids may have contributed
What is one of the three main requirements for life
water
Water is an excellent ……. for many substances
solvent
Water is a good medium for ………… reaction
biochemical
Water is only found in abundance on Earth. T or F
True
Metabolites/nutrients are ……… through water
easily transported
Water covers …… of the Earth’s surface
75%
What comprises a majority of the volume of plants and animals
water
Only ….. of water is usable as freshwater
3%
Most freshwater is ………..
bound and frozen
Water is non-renewable source. T or F
False
The water cycle is also known as the
hydrologic cycle
The water cycle is important to many organism because…..
water helps transport and cycle nutrients
Homeostasis is maintained by …….
water
Water’s properties
surface tension
solvent
capillarity
high specific heat of vaporization
What is the leading cause of death and disease
water contamination
Water contamination is a ……… problem
global
Approximately …. of water sources in US are polluted
50%
Other sources of water pollution include natural phenomena such as
volcanoes
storms
algae blooms
earthquakes
Point source pollution
identifiable source
Where does point source pollution discharge from
a pipe, ditch, ship, or factory
Clean Water Act
federal law that regulates pollutant discharge
What are the two common types of point source pollution
factories and sewage treatment plants
Effluent pollution
certain factories expel more than one types of pollutant
some factories mix waste with urban runoff
NPDES
permit program created by the clean water act to regulate point source pollution
Nonpoint source pollution
water pollution that usually occurs from runoff
unidentifable sources
What is the primary cause of pollution in the US
nonpoint source pollution
Nonpoint pollution is easy to regulate. T or F
False
Example of nonpoint source pollution
water flowing across a parking lot, picking up oil
Livestock farms are ………… of pollution
point sources
Livestock waste is approximately ……. than human waste
14x greater
