Earth’s Sphere – Flashcards

The Earth's spheres are the biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere

Hydrosphere which includes all the water on Earth including the ocean, rivers, lakes, glaciers, groundwater, precipitation, water vapor.

all the solid (not ice) non-living parts of the Earth like rocks and soil.

all living things on Earth like plants, animals, bacteria.

all of the gases that surround the Earth's surface. We generally consider the atmosphere to be "air"

Water vapor in the air (atmosphere) condenses (exothermic) on a surface and forms a cloud. As the water droplets grow in size, they get heavy enough to fall as precipitation and land in a lake (hydrosphere) or run across the surface of the Earth (lithosphere). The runoff soaks into the soil (lithosphere) and is absorbed by plant roots (biosphere) via capillary action. The water that is absorbed by the roots is used by the plant for photosynthesis. The plant's leaf then releases any "leftover" water as water vapor through transpiration. The water in the lake (hydrosphere) evaporates (endothermic) and joins the water vapor in the atmosphere.

Water molecules are made up of 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom, thus having the chemical formula, H2O

Water molecules are polar molecules because of the particular arrangement of the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a water molecule. Each end of the molecule has a slight electric charge. The oxygen end has a slight negative charge. The hydrogen ends have a slight positive charge. A molecule that has electrically charged areas is a polar molecule

Capillary action is the combined force of attraction among water molecules and with the molecules of surrounding materials. Capillary action causes water molecules to cling to some substances. Surface tension is the tightness across the surface of water that is caused by the polar molecules pulling on one another. Surface tension is what allowed water to form a round dome when drops were added to a penny Universal solvent. Water is called a universal solvent. Because of its molecules' polar structure it can dissolve many substances.

melts to become a liquid

Gain Evaporate Endothermic

exothermic

exothermic

212oF or 100oC

32oF or 0oC

32oF or 0oC

To carry out body process. Water allows organisms to obtain chemicals from their surroundings, break down food, grow, reproduce, and move substances within their bodies.

ocean 97%

In the form of ice

Ice 2.28%

Rivers and lakes

0.01%

Process in which some organisms that have cells that contain chlorophyll can make food by using energy from the sun to combine carbon dioxide and water.

Fresh water that fills cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layers underground.

The continuous process by which Earth's water moves from Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back.

Process by which a gas becomes a liquid. Condensation is responsible for the formation of clouds & precipitation

Process by which a liquid becomes a gas; evaporation takes place from surface water (lakes, rivers, ponds, top of the ground)

Seepage of water into soil or rock

Process by which plants release water into the atmosphere; the water is absorbed by the roots, transported through the vascular tissue (veins) of the plant, and released through the stoma (pores), located mostly in the leaves.

The sum of evaporation & transpiration

Items falling from clouds due to condensation: rain, snow, hail, etc.

Water which runs along the surface into collection points (streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, etc.)

Any geological formation (permeable) containing or conducting ground water, especially one that supplies the water for wells, springs, etc.

A well that is supplied by groundwater located in an aquifer trapped between two impermeable layers. Water moves to the surface because of the pressure in the aquifer. (Does not need a pump to bring it up)

A spring is a place where ground water comes to the surface because of a natural crack in the rock. A geyser is a type of hot spring from which the water periodically erupts.

A substance like rock that is porous or sediment that allows fluids to flow through its pore spaces.

Describes a substance like granite that does not allow for fluids like water to get through it because there are no pores.

The slow movement of water through pores in soil or permeable rock

The area of permeable rock or soil that is totally filled, or saturated with water. All of its pores are filled with water.

The water table is located on top of the saturated zone.

The layer of rock or soil above the water table that is only partially filled with water.

Differences in the materials that form layers underground determine where ground water forms. Water can move through certain layers, but not others.

The land area that supplies water to a river system. Also called drainage basins.

Upper Scioto Watershed --- Scioto river watershed ----Ohio River watershed---- Mississippi River watershed