earths water

glacier

huge mass of ice and snow that moves slowly overland formed in areas where more snowfalls each year that melts

unsaturated zone

layer of rock and soil above the water table that contain air as well as water, not able to be saturated

aquifer

layer of rock or sediment that holds water and can range in size from a small pond of an area of several states

well

man-made hole drilled to the water table in order to obtain ground water from an aquifer

polar molecule

meaning the positive hydrogen end of one water molecule attached the negative oxygen ends of another

thermohaline

means temperature & salinity

salinity

measure of the mass of dissolved solids in a mass of water. / top 500 m of water is saltier on warmer water than polar water since its evaporates faster leaving behind salt at surface

surface tension

molecules on surface of water cause a tightness, almost giving water a ''skin''.

Coriolis effect

movement of wind and water to the right or left that is caused by earths rotation

upwelling

movement of: cold water of the surface to replace warmer water and bring tiny organisms, minerals and other nutrients from deep ocean layers keeping the ocean ecosystem in balance

density

ocean water is layered since cold water is denser than warm water and saltwater is denser than fresh water

climate

pattern of temperature and precipitation typical of an area over a long period of time

transpiration

plants release water to air through leaves

deep zone

plants that photosynthesis are not found here because their is NO sunlight; many organisms produce light using chemicals in a process called biolumines cence

condensation

process of gas changing into a liquid/ clouds form as water vapor cools

evaporation

process of liquid changing to gas at surface/ takes place over the ocean

melting

process of solid changing to a liquid

middle zone

receives very little sunlight and of it only the blue-green wavelength

tributaries

small streams

natural spring

spring -place where ground water bubbles or flows out of crack sin the rock

water table

top of saturated water zone

geyser

type of hot spring which begins to rise through narrow passages being forced out by heated gases and steam from below

precipitation

water droplets in clouds become heavy and fall back to earth

seawater

water from a sea or ocean that has an average salinity of 35ppt (part per thousand) or one Kg of ocean contains 35g of salt

universal solvent

water is known as the universal solvent because many substances dissolves it in.

groundwater

water that fills the spaces in soil and rock layers

artesian well

well, which water rises because of pressure within an a aquifer

surface currents

wind -driven currents which affect water to a depth of several hundred meters and can move as fast as 100km/day

river system

a river and all it's tributaries, or small streams together with the watershed, the land area that supplies water to the system

capillary action

allows water to move through materials with pores or narrow spaces (ex: water traveling up stem to leaves

great ocean conveyor belt

another large system of ocean currents that affect weather and climate. it's a global ''belt'' of surface and density currents that distribute thermal energy around earth

wetlands

area of land that is covered with a shallow layer of water during some or all of the year. three common types are marshes, swamps, and bogs

saturated zone

area of permeable rock or soil that is totally filled or saturated with water

surface zone

area of shallow sea water that receives the most sunlight; organisms that preforms photosynthesis are located here

h2o

chemical formula used to represent water's unique structure which is made of two hydrogen (H) atoms bonded with one oxygen (O) atom to form a water molecule

water cycle

continuous process by which water moves through the living and nonliving parts of the enviroment

deep currents

currents caused by temperature and density differences

gyres

earth's oceans contain large, looped systems of surface currents called...

ponds and lakes

form when water collects in hollows and low-lying areas of land

undergroundwater

fresh water source from precipitation that soaks into the ground between particles of soil and space in layers of rock.