Oceans & Currents
What causes ocean tides?
The gravitational pull of the moon and sun
What are two main ways we use water in Alberta?
Agriculture, industry, household use
What are the two types of glaciers?
Alpine and continental
Define "watershed."
Area where all water drains into one body
Why are tides predictable?
They follow the regular orbit of the moon and Earth
What is the difference between surface and deep water currents?
Surface = wind-driven, Deep = temperature & salinity-driven
What is one method to manage the quantity of water?
Water conservation, irrigation limits, water meters
What is a cirque?
A bowl-shaped hollow where a glacier forms
What is an "aquifer"?
Underground layer that holds groundwater
What would happen if glaciers melted rapidly?
Sea levels would rise and cause flooding
What is a neap tide?
A tide with the least difference between high and low tides
What’s the first step in water treatment?
Screening or filtration
What is a moraine?
A buildup of rock and debris left by a glacier
Define “riparian zone.”
Area along the edges of a water body that supports plants and animals
Explain how a drumlin is formed.
Formed under glacial ice, streamlined by movement of ice
Name one feature found on the ocean floor.
Mid-ocean ridge, trench, seamount, abyssal plain, etc.
What is the purpose of chlorine in water treatment?
To disinfect and kill bacteria
What’s the difference between a glacier and an ice cap?
Glaciers flow downhill; ice caps cover flat land and spread outward
What is “erosion”?
The process of rocks and soil being worn away by water or wind
Why is desalination not used more often?
It's expensive and energy-intensive
What is desalination?
The process of removing salt from seawater to make it drinkable
Why is managing water quantity AND quality important?
To ensure sustainable and safe use for people and ecosystems
Name 3 landforms created by glaciers.
Drumlin, esker, kettle lake, erratic, moraine, etc.
What is a “striation” in glacial terms?
Scratches left on rock from a glacier moving over it
Describe the full path water might take through the water cycle, starting from a glacier.
Melt → runoff → stream → ocean → evaporation → condensation → precipitation → glacier again