Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Geology > Water on Earth > Flashcards

Water on Earth Flashcards

1
Q

What is an aquifer?

A

A place underground where water is stored

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is infiltration?

A

The process of moving water from Earth’s surface through pore space into an aquifer.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is surface runoff?

A

Process of moving water from a higher elevation to a lower elevation through streams, rivers and glaciers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is sublimation?

A

Process of moving water stored in ice sheets and glaciers directly into water vapor in the air.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is precipitation?

A

Process of moving water from the atmosphere to Earth’s surface through rain, snow, sleet or hail.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is condensation?

A

Process of moving water vapor from the air into clouds by removing heat energy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is advection?

A

Transfer of liquid water (clouds) horizontally in the atmosphere.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is transpiration?

A

Release of water vapor to the atmosphere by plants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is evaporation?

A

Process to move water from Earth’s surface into water vapor in the atmosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is an ocean?

A

A large basin that contains salt water; considered to be surface collection of water.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is a lake?

A

A depression that contains either freshwater or saltwater; considered to be surface collection of water.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is a cloud?

A

A collection of water droplets or ice crystals in the atmosphere.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is a glacier?

A

Slow flowing ice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is a river?

A

A channel that can move water to a lower elevation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is a tributary?

A

A small stream that flows into a larger stream or river

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is a divide?

A

Land at a higher elevation that separates two watersheds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is a reservoir (water collection)?

A

A man-made lake, usually formed behind a dam on a river.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is porosity?

A

The amount of space around soil or rock grains.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is permeability?

A

A measurement of a fluids ability to flow through rock or soil.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is the Zone of Saturation?

A

Layer of an aquifer that is filled with water.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is the Zone of Aeration?

A

Layer of an aquifer through which water can move into the zone of saturation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is the water table?

A

The boundary between the zone of aeration and the zone of saturation; the upper surface of the zone of saturation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is an impermeable layer?

A

A rock layer that does not allow a fluid to flow through it.

24
Q

What are some examples of personal water use?

A

Drinking water, bathing, brushing teeth, and cooking

25
Q

What are some examples of recreational water use?

A

Swimming, boating, fishing, skiing

26
Q

What are some examples of industrial water use?

A

Making solutions, cooling machinery, manufacturing processes.

27
Q

What are some examples of transportation water use?

A

Cruise ships, container ships and barges

28
Q

What are some examples of environmental water use?

A

Uptake by plants, drinking water for animals, and habitat for fish and other aquatic animals.

29
Q

What are some examples of agricultural water use?

A

Irrigation and water for livestock

30
Q

Why is water pollution considered to be a water “use?”

A

Pollution removes water from other uses

31
Q

In a water budget, what is recharge?

A

Water that moves into the area by precipitation, infiltration or water flow.

32
Q

In a water budget, what is discharge?

A

Water that moves out of the area by evaporation, transpiration, water flow, or water use.

33
Q

In a water budget, what causes a water deficit?

A

The demand for water and discharge is greater than the storage and recharge.

34
Q

What are some factors that can affect water availability for a particular use?

A

Availability is affected by climate (precipitation, evaporation, drought), overuse (high demand), and pollution.

35
Q

What are some unique qualities of water that make it useful?

A

It is transparent, it can exist on Earth in all three phases or matter, it has a high heat capacity, it dissolves many substances, and it expands when it freezes (solid less dense).

36
Q

How does the size of sediment or rock grains affect porosity?

A

Larger sediment or grains will have more space in between.

37
Q

How does the shape of sediment or rock grains affect porosity?

A

Angular grains will have less porosity than rounded grains.

38
Q

How does sorting affect the porosity of the rock layer?

A

Sorting refers to the variety of sizes. Poorly sorted rock has many different sizes and will have lower porosity. Well sorted rock has fairly uniform sized grains and will have higher porosity.

39
Q

How can prolonged drought affect water resources?

A

Drought will lower recharge into groundwater and resupply of surface water. This can limit water availability for different purposes.

40
Q

How can contamination of surface and groundwater resources be minimized?

A

Limit activities in recharge areas. Regulate the use and treatment of water that returns to surface or groundwater storage.

41
Q

What is a watershed?

A

An area of land that moves water to lower elevations and eventually oceans and seas.

42
Q

What are some agricultural sources of water contamination?

A

Pesticides, fertilizers, animal waste, and erosion.

43
Q

What are some industrial sources of water contamination?

A

Chemical spills and discharge, air pollution (forms acid rain), heat pollution.

44
Q

What are some construction sources of water contamination?

A

Soil erosion, building waste/debris, chemical release (paints and solvents)

45
Q

What are some urban sources of water contamination?

A

Road salt, oil and gasoline spills, garden fertilizers and pesticides, yard waste, and trash.

46
Q

How can natural disasters cause water contamination?

A

Household chemicals, debris from damaged buildings, infrastructure and woods, firefighting chemicals, soil erosion and deposition.

47
Q

What is a point-source contamination?

A

The agent responsible for the contamination or the source of the contamination can be identified.

48
Q

What is a non-point source contamination?

A

An accumulation of several small pollution events that changes the quality of water.

49
Q

How do water treatment plants remove large debris?

A

The water passes through screens that filter the debris.

50
Q

How do water treatment plants remove compounds like fats and oils?

A

These compounds float on the water and can be removed by skimming.

51
Q

How do water treatment plants remove heavy compounds?

A

These compounds sink to the bottom of settling tanks and are removes once most of the water leaves the tank.

52
Q

How do water treatment plants return dissolved gases to the water?

A

They use the process of aeration.

53
Q

How do water treatment plants remove toxins and pathogens from the water?

A

They use chemicals and bacteria

54
Q

Where does the water go after wastewater treatment?

A

It is returned to rivers, lakes and streams.

55
Q

How do manufacturers remove excess heat from water?

A

The water is temporarily stored in cooling tanks until it reaches a temperature that is similar to the environment.

56
Q

What is the distribution of water on the Earth?

A

The Earth’s surface is 72% covered by water. About 97% of the water is saltwater. Of the remaining 3% freshwater, most is locked in glaciers and ice sheets, limiting its availability. The next largest source is groundwater. Surface water is a very small percentage of available freshwater.

Geology (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions