Water Midterm

Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water between the Earth's surface, atmosphere, and underground.

Evaporation

The process where liquid water changes into water vapor due to solar energy, mainly from oceans, lakes, rivers, and soil moisture.

Transpiration

The process where plants release water vapor through pores in their leaves.

Sublimation

The direct conversion of ice or snow into water vapor without passing through the liquid state.

Groundwater

The mass of water that occupies pore spaces in rock, sediment, or soil, moving downhill where permeability allows.

Aquifer

A body of permeable rock or sediment that is saturated with water and allows groundwater to move.

Porosity

The percentage of a rock or sediment's total volume that consists of pore spaces.

Permeability

The capacity of a material to transmit fluids, influenced by pore size and connectivity.

Water Table

The upper surface of the saturated zone in the ground.

Recharge Area

An area where water is added to the saturated zone of a groundwater system.

Discharge Area

An area where subsurface water exits into streams or bodies of surface water.

Karst Landscapes

Landscapes shaped by the congruent dissolution of minerals, such as the Guilin Lijiang River National Park.

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)

The sum of all dissolved substances in water, expressed in mg/L or ppm.

Chemical Weathering

The reaction between acidic waters and Earth materials that breaks down minerals.

Congruent Weathering

A type of weathering where minerals completely dissolve, releasing ions into solution.

Incongruent Weathering

A type of weathering where minerals partially dissolve and form new minerals.

Dissolution of Halite Example

Halite (NaCl) dissolving into Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions in water.

Latent Heat of Vaporization

The calories absorbed when liquid water transforms into water vapor, important for evaporation.

Meteoric Water

The term for rainwater, which is nearly pure and contains dissolved CO₂.

Microbial Activity

The process that can affect arsenic contamination by releasing arsenic from sediments into groundwater.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)

The highest allowed contaminant concentration in drinking water.

PFAS

Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substances known as 'forever chemicals' due to their persistence in the environment.

Arsenic Contamination

The presence of arsenic in groundwater, particularly in South Asia, due to natural and human activities.

Health Effects of Lead

Neurotoxicity and other health issues related to lead exposure in drinking water.

Lead Levels in Flint's Water

Exceeding the EPA action level of 15 µg/L, with some samples surpassing 5,000 µg/L.

Disinfection Byproducts

Formed when disinfectants react with organic matter, linked to health risks.

Groundwater Quality Factors

Includes mineral particles, dissolved substances, organic matter, and industrial contaminants.