Lithosphere Unit Test

Runoff

Water that flows across the land into lakes, streams, and rivers

Elevation

Height of land above sea level

Contour Line

Imaginary lines that connect places of equal elevation

Watershed

The land area that drains into a body of water

Groundwater

Water that fills the cracks and spaces in underground soil and rock layers

Porosity

Measure of how much open space there is in a solid

Aquifer

An underground layer of permeable rock or sediment that holds water

Water pollution

The addition of any substance that has a negative effect on water or the living things that depend on the water

Permeability

Rate at which fluid can flow through the pores of a solid

Impermeable

Characteristic of materials through which water does not easily pass

Pollutant

A substance that causes pollution

Pesticide

Chemical intended to kill insects and other organisms that damage crops

Tributary

A stream or river that flows into a larger river

Flood Plain

The flat, wide area of land along a river

Nutrient Pollution

Contamination of water by excessive nutrients, usually nitrogen and phosphorus. Caused by fertilizer, manure, and human waste.

Sediment Pollution

Pollution by sand, soil, and other minerals that are washed into streams and rivers after rainfall. Caused by careless farming, mining, and building activities.

Toxic Pollution

Toxic pollution is contamination of water by materials that cause death, disease, or birth defects.

Bacterial Pollution

Contamination of water due to bacteria caused by manure, human waste, and spoiled food.

Saturated Zone

The area of permeable rock or soil in which the cracks and pores are totally filled with water

Unsaturated zone

The layer of rocks and soil above the water table in which the pores contain air as well as water

Surface water

Water that collects on the surface of the ground.

Water table

The top of the saturated zone

Divide

Marks the high point of land that separates one watershed from another

Point source pollution

pollution that comes from a single source in large amounts

Non-point source pollution

Pollution that comes from many different places, making it harder to identify and control

Contour interval

The difference in elevation between two side by side contour lines

Elevation at sea level

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