Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth's Waters Chapter 1
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32 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 polar molecule | A molecule that has electrically charged areas. |
| capillary action | The combined force of attraction among water molecules and with the molecules of surrounding materials. |
| surface tension | The tightness across the surface of water that is caused by the polar molecules pulling on one another. |
| solution | A mixture that forms when one substance dissolves another. |
| solvent | A substance that dissolves another substance. |
| specific heat | The amount of heat needed to increase the temperature of a certain mass of a substance by 1°C. |
| evaporation | The process by which molecules at the surface of a liquid absorb enough energy to change to the gaseous state. |
| condensation | The process by which a gas changes to a liquid. |
| photosynthesis | The process by which plants use water, along with carbon dioxide and energy from the sun, to make their own food. |
| habitat | The place where an organism lives and where it obtains all the things it needs to survive. |
| water cycle | The continuous process by which water moves from Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back. |
| transpiration | The process by which plants give off water vapor through their leaves. |
| tributaries | A stream or smaller river that feeds into a main river. |
| watershed | The land area that supplies water to a river system. |
| divide | A ridge of land that separates one watershed from another. |
| reservoir | A lake that stores water for human use. |
| nutrients | A substance such as nitrogen or phosphorus that enables plants and algae to grow. |
| eutrophication | The process by which nutrients in a lake build up over time and cause an increase in the growth of algae. |
| wetland | A land area that is covered with a shallow layer of water during some or all of the year. |
| Three common types of freshwater wetlands... | Marshes, swamps, and bogs |
| Marsh | Usually grassy areas covered by shallow water or a stream. They teem with cattails and other tall, grasslike plants. |
| Swamp | It looks more like flooded forests, with trees and shrubs sprouting from the water. Many swamps are located in warm, humid climates, where trees grow quickly. |
| Bog | They are more common in cooler northern areas. They often form in depressions left by melting ice sheets thousands of years ago. The water here tends to be acidic, and mosses thrive in these conditions. |
| permeable | A characteristic of materials, such as sand and gravel, through which water easily passes. |
| impermeable | A characteristic of materials, such as clay and granite, through which water does not easily pass. |
| saturated zone | The area of permeable rock or soil in which the cracks and pores are totally filled with water. |
| water table | The top of the saturated zone, or depth to the groundwater under the Earth's surface. |
| unsaturated zone | The layer of rocks and soil above the water table in which the pores contain air as well as the water. |
| aquifier | An underground layer of permeable rock or sediment that holds water. |
| artesian well | A well in which water rises because of pressure within that holds water. |
| meander | Looping curves in a river. |
| oxbow lake | Sometimes a meander curves back on itself. The river may then cut a new, straight course, eventually leaving this type of a lake. What is it called? |
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