1. Section 3: The Hydrosphere & Biosphere Standards: SEV1d, SEV2b
The Dynamic Earth
Section 3: The Hydrosphere & Biosphere
Standards: SEV1d, SEV2b

2. What is the hydrosphere?
All the water on or near the Earth’s surface.
Includes
Oceans
Lakes
Rivers
Wetlands
Icecaps
Clouds
Soil
Rock layers beneath surface

3. What are the parts of the hydrologic (water) cycle?
Evaporation
Heated by sun & turns into water vapor
Comes from bodies of water, plants (transpiration), and animals
Condensation
Water vapor forms droplets on dust particles, form clouds when they collide & stick
Precipitation
Large droplets fall from clouds
Can be rain, snow, sleet, hail
Runoff/Percolation
Water can run off land into nearest body of water
Water can percolate through layers of soil and get stored underground in aquifers.

4. How is water distributed on Earth?
97% salty ocean water
3% freshwater
Of the 3%...
2% is unusable icecaps & glaciers
1% is usable surface or groundwater.

6. What is the difference between ocean water & freshwater?
Ocean water is 3.5% salt.
Salt comes from erosion from rocks on land over millions of years and underwater volcanic eruptions.
Salinity can vary depending on depth of ocean & areas of evaporation
EX: estuary- where freshwater river meets ocean.

7. What are the major oceans of the world?
Pacific
Largest ocean
165,640,000 km2 & avg. depth is 4,280 meters
Deepest point (11,033 m) is Challenger Deep near Philippines.
Divided into
North Pacific- above equator and flows clockwise
South Pacific- below equator and flows counterclockwise
The Challenger Deep is deep than Mount Everest is tall.

8. What are the major oceans of the world?
Atlantic
Second largest ocean
81,630,000 km2
Like Pacific, divided into north & south with clockwise & counterclockwise movement.

9. What are the major oceans of the world?
Indian
Third largest ocean
73,420,000 km2
Average depth is 3,890 meters

10. What are the major oceans of the world?
Arctic
Smallest ocean
14,350,000 km2
Covered by floating ice called pack ice

11. What are the temperature zones of the ocean?
Surface zone
Warmed by sun
Can be mixed with cooler layers below
Thermocline
Middle layer where temperatures drop fast with increased depth
Deep zone
Coldest layer b/c sun does not reach

12. What is the relationship between the ocean and atmosphere?
Ocean has the ability to store and radiate heat to help control Earth’s temperature.
Absorbs over half the solar radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface
Direction of ocean current creates climates in inland areas.
EX: warm Gulf currents bring warm moist air over north to British Isles

13. Where is usable freshwater found?
Surface water
Moving water
Fast, cold, more oxygen
Rivers, streams
Watershed- area of land that dumps into a tributary.
Tributaries- small streams that empty into larger river systems.
EX: MHS campus is watershed for Noses creek which is a tributary to the Chattahoochee River
Standing water
Slow, warm, less oxygen
Lakes, ponds, reservoirs
McEachern High School

15. Where is usable freshwater found?
Groundwater
Water the seeps through soil and gets stored in underground rock formations called aquifers
Surface of land where water seeps is called recharge zone.
What’s in a name?
Powder Springs History
Land was incorporated as Springville which was originally occupied by 2 Cherokee Indian chiefs- Chief Noses (namesake of Noses Creek) and Chief Ana Kanasta (Sweetwater.) Originally called Springville because had 7 major minerals found in water that were considered to have health benefits. Also called Gunpowder Springs because the minerals turned the sand in the streams black. Used to be several natural springs that spouted from ground but water pressure in aquifer is now too low for the water to “squirt” out.

16. MAJOR AQUIFERS OF THE UNITED STATES

17. What is the biosphere?
Narrow layer around Earth’s surface in which life can exist.
Layer that gets sunlight for plants, which provide for animals
Also layer that has water, energy and moderate temperatures
Consists of
Uppermost part of geosphere
Most of the hydrosphere
Lower part of the atmosphere.

18. What is the difference between an open & closed system?
Closed system- energy enters and leaves but matter does not.
EX: Earth- energy from sun enters & reradiates but energy trapped by plants (and eventually animals) does not leave Earth.
Open system- both matter & energy are exchanged by a system.
EX: When Earth was first forming it was open because constantly hit by comets & meteors