soil sci 250 midterm || QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
SOLUTIONS!!
latent heat*** correct answers - change of temperature (or not) due to a phase change of water
- energy required or released with a phase change in water
why do we have deserts?** correct answers latent heat + cell movements
- dry cool air sinks, warm moist air rises
- deserts have a lot of heat flux because they don't hold much water in their soils
composition of atmosphere* correct answers - fluid gases (thin envelope)
- permanent gases (dry)
- variable gases (H2O)
- trace gases
- aerosols
upwelling** correct answers the upward movement of water toward the surface in oceans, brings
nutrients form ocean bottom up
thermohaline circulation* correct answers an oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of
surface water and deep water
biomes correct answers categories of ecosystems based on vegetation characteristics
latent heat release*** correct answers production of heat when water vapor condenses from a gas
to a liquid
adiabatic heating** correct answers Higher pressure decreases the volume and raises the air temp
adiabatic cooling** correct answers the cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises
higher in the atmosphere and expands
saturation point* correct answers the max amount of water vapor that can be in the air at a given
temp
albedo* correct answers the percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface
troposphere correct answers - layer closest to earth
- densist + most of atmosphere's nitrogen, oxygen, and water vapor
- lots of circulation and mixing of liquids and gases
stratosphere correct answers - 2nd layer
- ozone
- pollution + aerosols
, mesosphere correct answers - 3rd layer
- meteors
thermosphere correct answers - 4th layer
- communications, radios
expsphere correct answers - very outer layer
water consumption* correct answers loss of water due to evaporation, absorption, or
contamination
water withdrawal* correct answers total amount of water taken from a water body
oven dry soil** correct answers Soil dried at 105°C over 48 hrs
permanent wilting point soil** correct answers a thin film of water remains on soil particles and
roots cannot absorb water fast enough to prevent wilting
field capacity soil** correct answers the amount of water it contains after drainage
saturation soil** correct answers Moisture level in soil is greater than pore space can hold
macropores v.s. micropores** correct answers macropores drain while micropores hold
- fine textured soil (more total porespace but more micropores)
- course textured soil (less porespace, more macropores)
residence time* correct answers the time a pollutant stays in the atmosphere
buffering capacity* correct answers the ability of a system to resist change
saturated flow** correct answers space around particles is saturated (ex. ground water)
unsaturated flow** correct answers spaces around particles are NOT saturated
infiltration* correct answers when groundwater percolates through soil into fractures and spaces
of permeable rocks
zone of aeration** correct answers upper soil layers that hold both air and water
zone of saturation** correct answers lower soil layers where all spaces are filled with water
aquifers* correct answers porous layers of sand and rock lying below the water table
artesian well* correct answers spring
recharge** correct answers new water that enters the aquifer from the surface
SOLUTIONS!!
latent heat*** correct answers - change of temperature (or not) due to a phase change of water
- energy required or released with a phase change in water
why do we have deserts?** correct answers latent heat + cell movements
- dry cool air sinks, warm moist air rises
- deserts have a lot of heat flux because they don't hold much water in their soils
composition of atmosphere* correct answers - fluid gases (thin envelope)
- permanent gases (dry)
- variable gases (H2O)
- trace gases
- aerosols
upwelling** correct answers the upward movement of water toward the surface in oceans, brings
nutrients form ocean bottom up
thermohaline circulation* correct answers an oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of
surface water and deep water
biomes correct answers categories of ecosystems based on vegetation characteristics
latent heat release*** correct answers production of heat when water vapor condenses from a gas
to a liquid
adiabatic heating** correct answers Higher pressure decreases the volume and raises the air temp
adiabatic cooling** correct answers the cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises
higher in the atmosphere and expands
saturation point* correct answers the max amount of water vapor that can be in the air at a given
temp
albedo* correct answers the percentage of incoming sunlight reflected from a surface
troposphere correct answers - layer closest to earth
- densist + most of atmosphere's nitrogen, oxygen, and water vapor
- lots of circulation and mixing of liquids and gases
stratosphere correct answers - 2nd layer
- ozone
- pollution + aerosols
, mesosphere correct answers - 3rd layer
- meteors
thermosphere correct answers - 4th layer
- communications, radios
expsphere correct answers - very outer layer
water consumption* correct answers loss of water due to evaporation, absorption, or
contamination
water withdrawal* correct answers total amount of water taken from a water body
oven dry soil** correct answers Soil dried at 105°C over 48 hrs
permanent wilting point soil** correct answers a thin film of water remains on soil particles and
roots cannot absorb water fast enough to prevent wilting
field capacity soil** correct answers the amount of water it contains after drainage
saturation soil** correct answers Moisture level in soil is greater than pore space can hold
macropores v.s. micropores** correct answers macropores drain while micropores hold
- fine textured soil (more total porespace but more micropores)
- course textured soil (less porespace, more macropores)
residence time* correct answers the time a pollutant stays in the atmosphere
buffering capacity* correct answers the ability of a system to resist change
saturated flow** correct answers space around particles is saturated (ex. ground water)
unsaturated flow** correct answers spaces around particles are NOT saturated
infiltration* correct answers when groundwater percolates through soil into fractures and spaces
of permeable rocks
zone of aeration** correct answers upper soil layers that hold both air and water
zone of saturation** correct answers lower soil layers where all spaces are filled with water
aquifers* correct answers porous layers of sand and rock lying below the water table
artesian well* correct answers spring
recharge** correct answers new water that enters the aquifer from the surface
