water spheres Flashcards
what is the HYDROSPHERE
all the water on the planet, surface and underground
why are oceans salty and effect on ph
how is this reverses
due to rocks
salt in rocks dissolves into sea
increases pH (8.1)
co2 atmosphere dissolve into sea making more acidic lowering pH
what is the CRYSOPHERE
region of earth where water is frozen
where is the cryosphere
sea ice
ice sheets
ice caps
permafrost
glaciers
what is sea ice
when surface of ocean frozen
eg most artic ocean frozen
reflects sunlight
regulates temperature and salinity polar oceans
what is ice sheets
mass of glacial land ice extending 50,000km2+
Antarctic ice sheet covers 98% of continent
Antarctic + Greenland ice sheet hold 99% earths freshwater
if melt sea level rise 60m
what is ice caps
smaller ice sheets less than 50,000km2
protective layer - reflect up to 90% solar radiation maintain cold temp so ice not melt as much
what are alpine glaciers
thick mass ice found in deep valleys
fed by ice caps
supply water to rivers eg 15,000 glaciers in Himalayas feed Ganges river
what is permafrost
frozen layer of soil that can partially thaw during summer
it regulates carbon dioxide emissions as big store carbon
covers lots of canada
what is LITHOSPHERE
water stored on soil outer part of earth = terrestrial land
where is lithosphere
surface water
groundwater
soil water
biological water
what is surface water
rivers
lakes
wetlands eg pantanal wetland
what is groundwater
water stored in pore spaces of rock
depth of complete saturation is water table
what is soil water
water held in soil
effects runoff
provides water for plants
what is biological water
water stored in biomass of animals and plants
