Hydrosphere and Water Cycle Quiz

Surface Water

• The hydrosphere is the water on and in Earth's crust.
• Oceans contain about 97 percent of the hydrosphere.
• Freshwater accounts for about 3 percent of the hydrosphere.
• The water cycle is a continuous, natural process of water movement throughout Earth's systems.

Runoff

• Runoff is water flowing downslope along Earth's surface
• Runoff can reach streams, rivers, lakes, or evaporate, or accumulate as puddles.
• Vegetation slows runoff, allowing more water to infiltrate the ground.
• The steeper the slope, the faster the water flows.

Infiltration

• Infiltration is water that enters the ground.
• Infiltration depends on spaces in soil and rock to accommodate water volume.
• Different soil types have differing pore spaces for infiltration.

Stream Systems

• Headwaters are where water accumulates to supply a stream.
• Precipitation in higher elevations forms streams.
• Streams carve pathways called channels.
• Stream banks contain the moving water.
• Tributaries are streams/rivers flowing into a larger stream/river.
• A watershed is the land area draining into a stream system.

Floods

• Floods occur when water spills over stream banks onto adjacent land.
• Floodplains are the flat areas extending from the stream's bank, covered by excess water.
• Sediment is deposited during floods, accumulating along river edges to form natural levees.

Stream Deposition

• Stream deposition occurs when water velocity decreases, causing sediment to drop out.
• Alluvial fans are fan-shaped deposits formed where water flows down steep slopes to flatter areas.
• Alluvial fans are primarily sand and gravel.
• Deltas are triangular deposits formed when a stream enters a large body of water.

Lakes

• Natural lakes are bodies of water surrounded by land.
• Lakes form in various ways, including stream flow obstruction by sediment, landslides, and glacial activity (moraine-dammed, cirque, kettle).

Eutrophication

• Eutrophication is a process where water becomes enriched with nutrients, stimulating excessive plant growth.
• Although a natural process, it can accelerate with added nutrients like fertilizers (containing nitrogen and phosphorus).

Wetlands

• Wetlands are land areas covered with water for part of the year.
• Wetlands filter pollutants, sediments, and bacteria.
• Wetlands include bogs, marshes, and swamps, each with unique soil types and plant species.