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28 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
What is the essential substance of life?
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Water
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Water covers ___% of the planet's surface and is the dominant environment on Earth.
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75
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What is the hydrologic cycle?
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The hydrologic (water) cycle is the process in which water travels in a sequence from the air to Earth and returns to the atmosphere.
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What is the driving force behind the water cycle?
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Solar radiation is the driving force behind the water cycle because it provides energy for the evaporation of water.
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What eventually falls in the form of precipitation?
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water vapor
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What occurs when precipitation falls onto vegetation, dead organic matter, and urban structures or streets?
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interception--this water evaporates directly back into the atmosphere
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What is infiltration?
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the process in which precipation that reaches the soil moves into the ground
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When does surface runoff occur?
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Surface runoff of infiltrated water occurs when the soil is saturated.
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Name the term that describes water that seeps down to an impervious layer of rock.
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groundwater
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What is the evaporation of water from the internal surfaces of plants?
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transpiration
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What is evotranspiration?
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Evotranspiration is the total amount of evaporating water.
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What physical factors are important in aquatic environments?
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light
temperature oxygen (gas) concentration CO2 (gas) concentration pH salinity |
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As light enters the water's surface, it is _________ and subsequently _________ or scattered by suspended particles and water.
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intercepted; absorbed
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What wavelengths of light are absorbed first?
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Longer wavelengths (red light) are absorbed first.
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What unique adaptations in aquatic organisms does the pattern of light absorption in water give rise to?
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body color or lack of pigmentation
large eyes bioluminescence |
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What happens to sunlight as it is absorbed by water?
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it heats up
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How is heat distributed as winds and surface waves mix?
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Heat is distributed vertically as winds and surface waves mix.
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What is the region of the vertical depth where water temperature declines most rapidly?
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thermocline
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Where is the thermocline located?
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between the eplimnion (warm, lighter water above) and the hypolimnion (cold, denser water below)
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What is the tendency of molecules to move from a region of high concentration to one of lower concentration?
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diffusion
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What is the rate of diffusion dependent upon?
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the solubility of oxygen
the diffusion gradient |
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Why is the oxygen content of flowing water high?
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due to the greater contact of water with the atmosphere
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What are solutions with a pH less than 7 considered?
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acidic solutions
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What are solutions with a pH of 7 considered?
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neutral
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What are solutions with a pH greater than 7 considered?
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basic/alkaline
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Which organisms can survive in very acidic or very basic environments?
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extremophiles
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What is salinity?
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Salinity is the measurement of dissolved salt (mainly NaCl) in water or soil; measured in parts per thousand (ppt)
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What is the average ocean water salinity?
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35 ppt
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