AP®︎ Environmental Science: Topic 1.7 Flashcards

The continuous, sun-powered movement of water in solid, liquid, and gaseous phases among the atmosphere, oceans, surface water, soil, groundwater, ice, and organisms

A location where water is stored; oceans are the largest reservoir, while ice caps and groundwater are much smaller

A source releases water to another reservoir, while a sink receives and temporarily stores it; a reservoir’s role depends on the transfer

The rate at which water moves between reservoirs

The average length of time water remains in a reservoir

The solar-powered conversion of liquid water to water vapor

The release of water vapor from plants, primarily through stomata in their leaves

The combined transfer of water vapor to the atmosphere through evaporation and plant transpiration

The direct conversion of solid water to water vapor without first becoming liquid

The conversion of water vapor to liquid water, producing cloud droplets as moist air cools

Water falling from the atmosphere to Earth’s surface as rain, snow, sleet, or hail

The temporary capture of precipitation by leaves, branches, plant litter, or other surfaces before it reaches the ground

The entry of water from the ground surface into soil

The downward movement of water through soil and permeable rock after infiltration

Water stored in the pores and fractures of soil, sediment, and rock

The addition of water to a saturated underground groundwater zone

Groundwater discharge that maintains streamflow between precipitation events

Water that flows across the land surface toward streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and oceans