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Water
Essential substance, 75-95% of cell weight.
Hydrologic Cycle
Water's movement from air to Earth and back.
Solar Radiation
Energy source driving the water cycle.
Precipitation
Water vapor falling as rain, snow, etc.
Interception
Precipitation captured by vegetation and structures.
Infiltration
Water movement into soil after precipitation.
Surface Runoff
Water flow over soil when saturated.
Groundwater
Water collected beneath the Earth's surface.
Evapotranspiration
Total water evaporation from surfaces and plants.
Transpiration
Water evaporation from plant internal surfaces.
Aquifer
Water-bearing rock layer supplying groundwater.
High Plains-Ogallala Aquifer
Supplies 30% of U.S. irrigation water.
Water Withdrawal Rate
50 times faster than aquifer recharge.
Water Level Decline
Significant drop since the 1940s.
Covalent Bond
Electron sharing between hydrogen and oxygen.
Polar Molecule
Unequal electron sharing creates polarity in water.
Hydrogen Bonding
Attraction between polar water molecules.
Saturation
Condition when soil cannot absorb more water.
EPA Standards
Regulations for safe drinking water quality.
Groundwater Resource Limitations
Groundwater is not an infinite resource.
Surface Water
Water found on Earth's surface, like lakes.
Hydrogen Bonding
Attraction between water molecules influencing properties.
Specific Heat
Energy needed to raise 1g water by 1°C.
Thermal Regulation
Water's heat capacity buffers temperature changes.
Density of Ice
Ice is less dense than liquid water.
Cohesion
Linkage between water molecules due to hydrogen bonds.
Surface Tension
Attraction differences between water surface and air.
Viscosity
Resistance to flow, related to water's cohesion.
Buoyancy
Upward force of water on less dense objects.
Light Reflection
Amount of light reflected depends on angle.
Light Absorption
Water absorbs certain wavelengths more than others.
Red Light Absorption
Longer wavelengths absorbed first in water.
Blue Light Penetration
Blue wavelengths penetrate deeper into water.
Aquatic Adaptations
Organisms adapt to light absorption patterns.
Thermocline
Layer where water temperature declines rapidly.
Epilimnion
Warm, lighter water layer above thermocline.
Hypolimnion
Cold, denser water layer below thermocline.
Heat Distribution
Heat mixes vertically due to winds and waves.
Frictional Resistance
Water's resistance is 100 times greater than air.
Water's Density
Water is 860 times denser than air.
Temperature Gradient
Temperature decreases differently than light attenuation.
Bioluminescence
Light production by organisms in aquatic environments.
Thermocline
Layer where temperature changes rapidly with depth.
Epilimnion
Upper layer of water in a stratified lake.
Hypolimnion
Deepest layer of water in a stratified lake.
Seasonal Mixing
Fall and spring mixing of epilimnion and hypolimnion.
Water Solvent
Water's ability to dissolve more substances than others.
Aqueous Solution
Solution where water is the solvent.
Polarity of Water
Water molecules have positive and negative sides.
Solubility
Maximum amount of solute that can dissolve in water.
Sodium Chloride Solubility
High solubility; major solute in seawater.
Salinity
Concentration of salts in water, expressed in psu.
Practical Salinity Units (psu)
Units for measuring salinity in water.
Diffusion
Movement of molecules from high to low concentration.
Oxygen Diffusion
Oxygen moves from atmosphere to surface waters.
Stratification of Oxygen
Oxygen layers formed in lakes during summer.
Oxygen Sources
Atmosphere and aquatic plants provide oxygen.
Oxygen Demand
Decreases with depth in aquatic environments.
Oxygen Distribution
Not uniform; highest in upper 10-20 meters.
Flowing Water Oxygen
High oxygen levels due to contact with atmosphere.
Oxygen Limitation
Oxygen concentration limits aquatic organisms' survival.
Freshwater Solute Concentration
Lower than oceans; less dissolved ions.
Ocean Evaporation Effect
Increases solute concentration in seawater.
Carbon Dioxide
Gas absorbed by water, forming carbonic acid.
Carbonic Acid
H2CO3, formed from CO2 and water.
Bicarbonate
HCO3-, a product of carbonic acid dissociation.
Hydrogen Ion
H+, indicates acidity in a solution.
Acidity
Measure of hydrogen ion concentration in solution.
Alkaline Solution
High hydroxyl ions (OH-), low H+ concentration.
pH Scale
Measures acidity from 1 (acidic) to 14 (alkaline).
Neutral pH
pH of 7, equal concentrations of H+ and OH-.
Buffer System
Maintains stable pH in aquatic environments.
Natural Water pH
Ranges from 2 to 12, influenced by geology.
Physiological Processes
Biological functions affected by water pH.
Toxic Metals Concentration
Increased in low pH environments, harmful to organisms.
Aluminum Solubility
Increases as pH decreases, toxic in water.
Water Movements
Currents and waves shape aquatic environments.
Surface Waves
Generated by wind, affect shoreline substrate.
Deep-Water Currents
Caused by density, temperature, and salinity changes.
Upwelling
Deep waters rise to surface, enriching ecosystems.
Tides
Gravitational pulls from Sun and Moon cause ocean tides.
Spring Tides
Large tidal differences between high and low tides.
Neap Tides
Small tidal differences, occur between spring tides.
Intertidal Zone
Area between high and low tide, experiences fluctuations.
Estuary
Where freshwater mixes with saltwater, influenced by tides.
Tidal Overmixing
Mixing of seawater and freshwater due to density differences.
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