Water Cycle
Streams
Woah, more streams!
Lakes (and streams)
Wetlands
100

Process of the water cycle in which water vapor in the atmosphere cools and changes back into liquid form.

Condensation

100

What is the root of the word hydrosphere? 

What is the hydrosphere? 

Hydro: Greek word for water

The water on and in Earth’s crust makes up the hydrosphere 

100

The ability of a stream to transport material is its

Carrying capacity

100

The region where water first accumulates to supply a stream is known as the __________. 

Headwaters

100

What is a wetland? 

A wetland is any land area that is covered with water for part of the year.

200

Process of the water cycle in which water seeps into groundwater stores (aka aquifers) 

Infiltration 

200

True or false: All streams flow downstream. 

True: all water flows down slope towards low points (lakes, oceans, etc. ) 

200

What does stream flow measure? 

The volume of stream water that flows past a set location within a given period of time.

200

What is eutrophication? 

Process by which surrounding watershed enriches bodies of waters with nutrients that create plant growth

200

Name three types of wetlands we discussed in class. 

Bog, marsh, and swamp

300

Process of the water cycle in which the sun warms water on Earth’s surface. It causes liquid water to change into a gas.

Evaporation

300
The material a stream carries is called the _______

Stream load 

300

Calculate the discharge of a stream with an average width of 8m, an average depth of 2m and an average velocity of 0.9 m/s

Please include units! No units, no points!

14.4 m/s3

300

What is a meander? 

A bend or curve in a stream 

300

How do wetlands help improve water quality? 

They serve as filtering system that traps pollutants, sediments and pathogenic bacteria
400

What is the driving force of the water cycle?

the Sun

400

What is suspension? What particles would be suspended? 

The method of transport for all particles small enough to be held up by the turbulence of a stream’s moving water

Particles such as sand, silt and clay are part of a stream’s suspended load.

400

Calculate the discharge of a stream with an average width of 24m, an average depth of 8m and an average velocity of .5 m/s

Please include units! No units, no points!

96 m/s3

400

Name two forms of sediment deposition that are a result of moving water? 

Alluvial fans and deltas 

400

Why are wetlands considered "carbon sinks" 


  • Absorbs atmospheric carbon emissions through photosynthesis 

  • CO2 is stored in soil and vegetation – locked away for millennia 

.

500

Process of the water cycle in which the sun warms plants, it causes water to evaporate out of the leaves through the small openings

Transpiration

500

What is the bed load? 

Sediment that is too large or heavy to be held up by turbulent water is transported by streams as the bed load

500

What is a flood? 

When water spills over the sides of a stream’s banks and onto the land

500

Name three ways lakes can form? 

Meander cut off (oxbow) 

Sediment blocking flow of river

Past glacial movement 

500

Name 8 functions of wetlands

Resting place, food source, nursery, mixing zone, pollution buffer, absorption of water, filter, carbon sink