Hydrosphere and Water Cycle Concepts

A collection of vocabulary flashcards based on hydrosphere and water cycle concepts to aid study and exam preparation.

Hydrosphere

All the water on Earth, including oceans, lakes, rivers, underground water, and water in the atmosphere.

Direct Water Use

Water we use directly in daily activities, like drinking, cooking, bathing, and cleaning.

Indirect Water Use

Also known as 'virtual water,' it's the water used to produce goods and services we consume.

Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth, involving processes like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.

Precipitation

Water released from clouds that falls to the Earth's surface as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

Transpiration

The process by which plants release water vapor from their leaves into the air.

Evaporation

The process where liquid water changes into water vapor (gas) and rises into the atmosphere due to heat.

Condensation

The process where water vapor cools and changes back into liquid droplets, forming clouds.

Sublimation

The process where solid water (ice or snow) changes directly into water vapor without melting.

Watershed

An area of land where all the water drains into a common waterway, such as a stream or river.

Drainage Basin

Another term for a watershed; the land area that channels precipitation and runoff into a common outlet.

Divide

A ridge or elevated area that separates one watershed from another.

Runoff

Water that flows over the land surface instead of soaking into the ground, often carrying pollutants.

Infiltration

The process by which water soaks into the soil and replenishes groundwater.

Groundwater

Water that is stored beneath the Earth's surface in soil and rock layers.

Aquifer

A body of permeable rock or sediment that stores and transmits groundwater.

Tributary

A smaller stream or river that flows into a larger one.

Erosion

The process by which soil and rock are worn away, often by water, wind, or ice.

Sedimentation

The process of depositing eroded material, such as sand or silt, in a body of water.

Point Source Pollution

Pollution that comes from a single, identifiable source, such as a factory or sewage plant.

Nonpoint Source Pollution

Pollution that comes from many different sources, like runoff from farms or urban areas.

Permeability

The ability of soil or rock to allow water to pass through it.

Impervious Surface

A surface that prevents water from soaking into the ground, increasing runoff.