Hydrosphere

1
Hydrosphere

• Hydrosphere- includes all water bodies on earth
• Includes all water forming in atmosphere near
  earth surface
• Ex oceans, lakes, rivers, wetlands, polar ice
  caps, soil, clouds, rock layers beneath Earth
  surface
• Water moves continuously from the air to land and
  back again
• WATER CYCLE- continual movement of water through
  the atmosphere and geosphere
• Evaporation- process of liquid water is heated by
  the sun and then rises into atmosphere as water
  vapor
• Major source of water vapor is ocean water

2

• Condensation- process of water vapor forming into
  water droplets in clouds
• Clouds form when water vapor collects with dust
  particles
• These droplets stick together to form large,
  heavy clouds
• Precipitation- large water droplets fall from
  clouds
• Fall in form of snow, sleet, hail, or rain
• Water moves through these processes continually
• OCEANS
• All 4 oceans Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, and
  Indian are connected
• They form the world ocean
• World ocean covers 70 of Earths surface
• Regulates our planets environment

3

• Pacific Ocean- largest ocean
• Deepest point is 11,033 km
• This is deepest point on all of the oceans floor
• Called the Challenger Deep, in the Phillipines
• Pacific Ocean is divided into the North and South
  Pacific (above and below the equator)
• Ocean currents in North Pacific flow clockwise
• In South Pacific, flow counterclockwise
• Atlantic Ocean- 2nd largest ocean
• ½ size of Pacific
• Divided into North South Atlantic
• Ocean currents are opposite like the Pacific
• Indian Ocean- 3rd largest ocean
• Average depth of 3,890 m

4

• Arctic Ocean- much of its surface is covered by
  floating ice
• Pack ice- forms when waves or wind drive sea ice
  together into a large mass
• Hydrothermal Vents
• Openings in the ocean floor where super-hot,
  mineral-rich waters stream into the ocean
• Form where tectonic plates are separating
• Vent water can reach temps as high as 400 degrees
  Celsius
• At these depths, pressure is high, no sunlight
• Have found about 300 different species living
  there worms, giant clams, mussels, shrimp, crab,
  octopuses, sea anemones