Topic 2- Environmental Cycles Flashcards
1
Q
the water cycle
A
- The cycling of water through the lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.
2
Q
transpiration
A
Water is absorbed by pants from the soil through their roots.
The water travels up the stem of the plant to the leaves. The water is released into the atmosphere through stomata.
3
Q
percolation
A
- the movement of water through soil and rock
3
Q
condensation
A
- Cooling of water vapour(gas) in atmosphere
4
Q
precipitation
A
- Water drops formed by condensation fall to earth.
- Can fall as rain, snow or hail.
5
Q
surface run off
A
- Refers to the movement of water over the land surface.
- Runoff ends in streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
- can transport sediment, nutrients, and pollutants to other areas.
6
Q
inflitration
A
- precipitation that falls onto land can soak into the soil, refilling groundwater sources
7
Q
ground water flow
A
- water that infiltrates into the soil becomes groundwater, which slowly moves through underground aquifers.
8
Q
aquifer
A
a body of permeable rock which can contain or transmit groundwater
9
Q
evaporation
A
- the sun heats bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, and rivers
- causes water to change from liquid to water vapour(gas) and rise into the atmosphere.
10
Q
freezing
A
- freezing coverts water from the liquid state to the solid state
- acts as water storage
- water is removed from cycle until melted
11
Q
melting
A
- converts ice and snow back into liquid water
- after melting, snow and ice refills rivers, lakes, and oceans
12
Q
deposition
A
- transforms water vapor(gas) to ice(solid) – skips liquid phase
- forms ice, snow and glaciers
13
Q
volcanic eruptions
A
14
Q
carbon sequestration
A
