The Hydrosphere And Biosphere Honors Biology Chapter 3
Definition All the water on or near the surface Oceans Lakes Rivers Ice caps Aquifers Clouds
Hydrologic (Water) Cycle Continuous movement of water into air, onto land, into water resources, and back to the air Recycling of resource
The Oceans Pacific is largest: million km 2 Pacific is deepest: Challenger Deep is 11,033m (Mt Everest <10,000m high) In size = Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic (amorphous = pack ice)
Ocean Water Contains dissolved salts from weathering and erosion processes Salinity is concentration of dissolved salts (average is 3.5% by weight)
Temperature Zones Surface warmed by the sun Light never reaches the cold bottoms Waves/currents stir the top to 350m Thermocline is m and temp. falls sharply; it is the division between warm and cold water
Variation with Latitude
Surface Temperature Patterns
Temperature Regulator Absorbs/stores energy from sunlight Absorbs/releases more slowly than land masses This makes atmospheric temperature changes slower and less dramatic Winds that circulate oceanic air masses create more moderate weather patterns; continental creates more severe; e.g., Scandinavia vs. Canada
Temperature Regulator Since winds control ocean currents, the same effects are seen with weather when ocean currents are considered. Again, Scandinavia is an excellent example of moderation, while inland Canada or Russia would show the extremes of continents
Fresh Water 3% of all water on Earth Most locked up in glaciers/ice caps Lakes, rivers, wetlands, aquifers
Why do we need it?
Post Falls’ Supply The Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer
The Biosphere An integration of geosphere, hydro- sphere, and atmosphere The combination zone where life can exist on Earth Very thin; very delicate
Why does life exist here? Liquid water Temperature range of degrees C Consistent energy source Biogeochemical recycling Gravity to maintain atmosphere Suitable combinations of resources Food webs
Systems Closed system – matter cannot enter/leave, energy can
Systems Open system – matter and energy are exchanged between the system and the surrounding environment
How about the Earth? Closed, right?
While energy is constantly being added to the biosphere from the sun, matter is not. Once upon a time, matter may have been added through coalescence and collisions of comets and meteorites with our planet. Now, however little matter reaches our planet in this way Earth is a closed system by definition