The water and carbon cycle notes

Hydrosphere

The system that contains all water in or near the Earth's surface, holding 97% of the Earth's water.

Cryosphere

The component of the Earth's water system that contains water in solid form, holding 1.72% of the Earth's water.

Lithosphere

The Earth's crust and the semi-solid and liquid land beneath it, holding 0.75% of the Earth's water.

Atmosphere

The layer that contains water in the form of water vapor and is the main vector for moving water around the globe, holding only 0.001% of the Earth's water.

Open system

A system characterized by the transfer of both energy and matter.

Closed system

A system characterized by the transfer of energy but not matter.

Negative feedback

A process where an initial change leads to linked changes that eventually stabilize the system back to its original state.

Positive feedback

A process where an initial change leads to linked changes that cause a greater, permanent deviation from the original condition.

Clouds

Suspended accumulations of tiny water droplets formed from condensation of excess water vapor in the air.

Insolation

Incoming solar radiation from the sun to the Earth.

Humidity

The measure of the concentration of water vapor in the air.

Latent heat

The energy absorbed or released by a substance during a change in its physical state (liquid, solid, or gas).

Dew point temperature

The temperature at which air becomes saturated, leading to condensation of water vapor into droplets.

Condensation nuclei

Tiny particles in the air, such as smoke, salt, or dust, on which condensation can occur.

Accumulation

The build-up of ice mass within the cryosphere.

Ablation

The loss of ice mass within the cryosphere.

Evapotranspiration

The combined process of water gain to the atmosphere from evaporation and transpiration.