Geo Chapter 9

Front 1

Hydrologic Cycle

Back 1

A series of storage areas interconnected by various transfer processes, in which there is a ceaseless interchange of moisture in terms of its geographical location and its physical state.

Front 2

Evaporation

Back 2

Process by which liquid water is converted to gaseous water vapor

Front 3

Transpiration

Back 3

The transfer of moisture from plant leaves to the atmosphere

Front 4

Precipitation

Back 4

Movement of water from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface via various forms

Front 5

Infiltration

Back 5

Downward movement of water into the soil and regolith

Front 6

Runoff

Back 6

Flow of water from land to the oceans by overland flow, streamflow and groundwater flow

Front 7

Initial Abstraction

Back 7

That portion of the precipitation that does not infiltrate, evaporate or runoff. "Short-term" ponding of water in depressional areas

Front 8

Weathering

Back 8

The physical (mechanical) and chemical disintegration of rock that is exposed to the weather (elements)

Front 9

Salinity

Back 9

A measure of the concentration of dissolved salts

Front 10

Waves

Back 10

Change in the shape of the ocean surface, with little actual displacement of water.

Front 11

Currents

Back 11

Considerable movement of water mainly in the horizontal direction

Front 12

Tides

Back 12

The rise and fall of coastal water levels caused by the alternate increasing and decreasing gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on varing parts of the Earth's surface.

Front 13

Spring Tide

Back 13

A time of maximum tide that occurs as a result of the alignment of the sun, moon and Earth

Front 14

Neap Tide

Back 14

The lower than normal tide variations that occur twice a month as the result of the alignment of the sun and moon at a right angle to one another

Front 15

Glacier

Back 15

A large natural accumulation of land ice that flows either downslope or outward from its center of accumulation

Front 16

Ice Sheet

Back 16

A vast blanket of ice that completely inundates the underlying terrain to depths of hundreds to thousands of feet

Front 17

Ice Cap

Back 17

A small ice sheet, normally found in the summit area of high mountains

Front 18

Ice Pack

Back 18

The extensive and cohesive mass of floating ice that is found in the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans

Front 19

Ice Shelf

Back 19

A massive portion of an ice sheet that projects out over the sea

Front 20

Ice Floe

Back 20

A mass of ice that breaks off from larger ice bodies and floats independently in the sea. Generally, ice flow refers to a large, flattish, tabular mass of ice.

Front 21

Iceberg

Back 21

A great chunk of floating ice that breaks off an ice shelf or the end of an outlet glacier. Generally, iceberg refers to a chunkier more rugged piece of ice.

Front 22

Permafrost

Back 22

Permanent ground ice or permanently frozen subsoil

Front 23

Lake

Back 23

A body of water surrounded by land

Front 24

Swamp

Back 24

A flattish surface area that is submerged in water at least part of the time, but is shallow enough to permit the growth of water-tolerant plants, predominantly trees.

Front 25

Marsh

Back 25

A flattish surface area that is submerged in water at least part of the time, but is shallow enough to permit the growth of water-tolerant plants, predominantly grasses and sedges

Front 26

Unsaturated Zone

Back 26

The topmost zone within the ground, which contains a fluctuating amount of moisture in the pore spaces of the soil. Also sometimes referred to as either the "Vadose Zone" of "Zone of Aeration"

Front 27

Saturated Zone

Back 27

The second hydrologic zone below the surface of the ground, whose uppermost boundary is the water table. The pore spaces and cracks in the bedrock and regolith of this zone are fully saturated.

Front 28

Aquifer

Back 28

A permeable subsurface rock layer that can store, transmit, and supply water

Front 29

Unconfined Aquifer

Back 29

A saturated grologic layer that is permeable enough to allow water to flow fairly easily through it, with a confining bed that restricts further downward movement. This type of aquifer typically consists of both saturated and unsaturated zones

Front 30

Aquitard/Aquiculde

Back 30

An impermeable rock layer that is so dense as to exclude water

Front 31

Confined Aquifer

Back 31

The third hydrologic zone below the surface of the ground, which contains two or more permeable rock layers into twhich water can infiltrate and is separated from the unsaturated zone by impermeable layers. Water in a confined aquifer can be under pressurized conditions

Front 32

Artesian Well

Back 32

The free flow that results when a well is drilled from the surface downward into a confined aquifer and the confining pressure is sufficient to force the water to the surface without pumping

Front 33

Subartesian Well

Back 33

The free flow that results when a well is drilled from the surface downward into a confined aquifer and which requires artificial pumping to raise the water to the surface because the confining pressure forces the water only partway up the well casing.