ENV100H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 34: Ocean Current, Drainage Basin, Water Cycle

• School: UTSG
• Department: School of Environment
• Course: ENV100H1
• Professor: Barbara Murck

Document Summary

70% of earth"s surface covered in water. Only planet that has substantial amounts of water and liquid water shapes surface of the earth exists in all 3 states atmosphere, on surface, underground allows life. Water vapor in atmosphere allows heat from equator to be distributed towards the poles important in moving heat from equator to poles rises as vapour; falls as rain or snow water on surface. Ocean currents: critical to climate system. El ni o: conveyor belt that moves heat around globe sculpts terrestrial landscape, canyons, etc. carrier for many substances, solvent, carries nutrients and pollutants water is locked up in minerals in the earth"s mantle. Makes mantle elastic; affects dynamics of plate tectonics. May be the largest reservoir of water on planet. Unknown how much cycles between deep reservoirs and surface through plate tectonics. Study of water in hydrosphere, both on and underground. Movement, distribution, quantity: removed from human sphere. Most tied up in glaciers and ice caps.