The hydrosphere/atmosphere/lithosphere Flashcards
(24 cards)
What’s the hydrosphere?
Water in all different states present on Earth
What’s a catchment area (whatersheds/drainage basins)?
Lakes and rivers empty into same larger body of water. (Also rain water)
What’s the human disturbances on watersheds?
Creation of a reservoir upstream from hydroelectricity power plant can disturb ecosystems.
Contaminants upstream can spread downstream.
What is an important role of oceans?
Regulate the Earth’s climate.
What influences water temperature?
- Seasons (position of sun)
- Latitude (closer to equator=warmer)
- Depth
Where are oceans less salty?
Near the poles because of melting ice caps which decreases salt concentration.
Where do oceans get the salt?
Erosion of minerals
Name the two types of ocean circulation.
Surface currents and deep currents.
How are surface currents generated?
Wind
How are deep currents generated?
Different densities of water
Does cold water have a smaller density than hot water?
No, cold water has a higher density.
What is thermohaline?
(thermo and saline) combination of wind and different densities of water causing ‘conveyor belt’
What’s the cryosphere?
Frozen water on Earth. (on land)
What are glaciers?
Compressed snow on land.
What are impacts of melting ice?
- Rising waters
- Thermohaline currents are disturbed.
- Global warming
How are minerals extracted from the Earth?
Mining
What is ore?
Rock and mineral
How is soil created?
Erosion of solid part of Earths crust.
What alters the soil?
- Oxidation
- Neutralization
- Decomposition
- Contaminents
Explain soil buffering capacity.
Soil has the ability to resist changes in pH. (the finer the soil, the better)
How can soil be contaminated?
- Acid rain (SOx and NOx)
- Pesticides
What’s permafrost?
Soil that is permanently frozen.
What are consequences of permafrost thawing?
- Loss of infrastructure
- Landslides
- Release of stored carbon as CO2
What’s the role of the atmosphere?
- Blocks dangerous rays from the sun (UV)
- Ensures stable climate by retaining heat.
- Includes oxygen (respiration) and carbon dioxide (photosynthesis)
