Hydrosphere
All the water on, above, and under the Earth's surface
Universal Solvent (water)
Most substances dissolve in it (because of polarity)
Polarity
Has a slightly negative and a slightly positive end
Cohesion
Water attracted to water (ex. water droplets)
Adhesion
Water attracted to a different substance (ex. water on leaf)
Surface Tension
Strong cohesive force (ex. insect walking on water, paper clip on water)
Transpiration
Evaporation of water from plants
Infiltration
Water goes into the ground and becomes groundwater
Runoff
Water that flows over the surface of the Earth (eventually leads into the ocean)
Groundwater
The water found in cracks and pores in sand, gravel, and rocks below the Earth's surface
Aquifer
A porous rock layer underground that can obtain or transmit groundwater (collects and stores water (collects and stores water)
Porous
Having small spaces or holes to allow liquid or air to pass through
Permeable Rock(s)
allowing liquid or gas to pass through it
Permeability
It is a measure of the ability of a rock or sediment to transmit water or other liquids
Saturated
Thoroughly soaked
Reservoir
A large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply
Water Table
The level below which the ground is completely saturated with water.
River Basin
The land that water flows across or under on its way to a river
Watershed
Area of land where water drains from streams to a river. Many of these make a river basin
Tributary
A stream flowing into a large river or lake
Saltiness of the Ocean
caused by erosion of earth's crust (e.g. erosion from rocks) and this is washed into the sea
Distillation
The action of purifying a liquid by a process of heating and cooling
Salinity
The concentration of solids (salts) in water/the measure of the salts dissolve in water
Dredging
Removal of Sediments and debris from water body
Upwelling
The movement of cold water at the bottom of the ocean to carry up to the surface nutrients (organic materials) and sediments.
Estuary
Body of water where freshwater and saltwater mix (river & ocean). One of the most productive ecosystems on earth
Brackish
Slightly salty (mixture of river & ocean water) - think Estuary
Phytoplankton
Plant planktons (autotrophs)
Zooplanktons
Plankton consisting of small animals and the immature stages or larger animals (heterotroph)
Hydrothermal Vent
Openings in the ocean floor that release heat. Small ecosystems form around these vents
Photosynthesis
Process by which green plants and some other organisms make their own food (sugar) in the presence of sunlight
Chemosynthesis
Organisms that use sulfur and nitrogen compounds to produce food in the absence of sunlight
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
Measure of the amount of oxygen in water
Turbidity
Measure of how clear water is
Bio-indicator
Species used to monitor the health of an environment
Nitrates
Composed of nitrogen and oxygen; Major source of this in surface water include runoff contaminated with fertilizers, sewage, septic tank, erosion of natural deposit
Phosphates
Composed of phosphorus and oxygen; Enters water from laundry, cleaning & industrial effluents, and animal waste
Environment Protection Agency (EPA)
Protect human and environmental health
Eutrophication
Excess richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen
Stewardship
Practices that protect the environment - being responsible of taking care of the environment
Potable Water
Drinkable Water
Algae Bloom/Algal Bloom
Rapid increase and accumulation of algae in freshwater and marine water systems
Clean Water Act
Federal law that protects surface water
Surface Water
Water that collects above the tope (surface) of the ground
Point Source Pollution
Pollution that enters the water from a specific location
Non-Point Pollution
Pollution that cannot be traced to a single location (ex. runoff)
Water Treatment
Includes filtering, disinfection and aeration