Atmospheric Pressure, The Water Cycle, And Water Sheds

Test is tomorrow

What is the water cycle?

The movement of water from the ground to the air and back to the ground

Liquid —> Gas

Evaporation

Solid —> Gas

Sublimation

Gas —> Solid

Deposition

Gas —> Liquid

Condensation

Example of Deposition

Snowflake formation

Example of Sublimation

Melting glacier

What is a watershed?

a watershed is an area between two high physical forms (mountains/hills) that when it rains, all water channels down to the lowest spot like a river or lake

What would be physical boundaries of a watershed?

Mountains

What is groundwater? How do you find the groundwater level?

Water below the ground. If you dig a hole in the ground and it ‘fills up’ with water, that is the level of groundwater.

What do fossil fuels release into the atmosphere to cause climate change?

Carbon dioxide.

The trapped carbon in the atmosphere creates a …

Greenhouse effect.  It allows sunlight to pass through the atmosphere to warm the Earth, but absorbs the infrared heat radiating back up from the planet's surface, trapping it like a blanket and continuously re-radiating it in all directions, including downward. 

What is the result of rising global temperatures from the greenhouse effect?

Heat energy from the ocean is transferred into the air making storms bigger.

What is an impermeable surface? Give one example.

An impermeable surface is a surface that doesn’t allow groundwater to pass through. Clay is an impermeable surface.

What is a permeable surface? Give one example.

A permeable surface is a surface that allows groundwater to pass through. Dirt is a permeable surface.

How do humans deplete groundwater?

Drawing too much water from a well. Florida is surrounded by saltwater, so the people have to take the fresh water from the ground.

What would the pressure on a sunny day be?

High pressure because air particles are moving quickly and bumping into each other more.

What would the pressure on a rainy day be?

Low pressure.

What happens when you are farther from the Earth’s surface? When you are closer? What keeps the atmosphere from flying away into space?

The higher you are off the ground, the lower the air pressure. The closer you are to the Earth’s surface, the higher the air pressure (density of air). Gravity keeps the atmosphere from blowing off into space. 

What is coagulation and flocculation?

Chemical added to water to make dirt particles stick together and increase mass.

What is sedimentation?

Over time the now heavier dirt particles will fall to the bottom of the tank.  Pure water will be poured out the top of the tank.

What is filtration?

The above water will be poured through three levels of sand (large, medium then small particles) to filter out any small particles that did not drop in the sedimentation process

What is disinfection?

 Chlorine and/or UV exposure is added to the water to kill any bacteria/virus proteins.

What is preliminary treatment?

This process separates out the large and medium-sized solid waste using different thickness screens and sieves. 

What is primary treatment?

Coagulants and flocculants are added to the sewage to make particles stick together, get heavy and drop to the bottom of a tank after a few hours.

What is secondary treatment?

Bacteria ‘eat’ the sewage and break it down to smaller, cleaner particles

What is tertiary treatment?

Filter the remaining water through sand then add chlorine to purify.

How did changing from high pressure to low pressure affect the barometer?

High pressure pushes down on the ballon at the top of the cup. The pressing down makes the straw move up and point to the high pressure label on the cardboard. Low pressure doesn’t push down as much, so the straw stays pointing down at the low pressure label.

Liquid —> Solid

Freezing

Solid —> Liquid

Melting

What is more likely to occur with climate change?

Forest fires, worsened natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes, sea level rise, etc.