Hydrosphere

1
Hydrosphere
2
Hydrosphere

• The hydrosphere includes all water on Earth.
• The abundance of water on Earth is a unique
  feature that clearly distinguishes our "Blue
  Planet" from others in the solar system. Not a
  drop of liquid water can be found anywhere else
  in the solar system.
• It is because the Earth has just the right mass,
  the right chemical composition, the right
  atmosphere, and is the right distance from the
  Sun (the "Goldilocks" principle) that permits
  water to exist mainly as a liquid.

3
Hydrosphere

• The range of surface temperatures and pressures
  of our planet permit water to exist in all three
  states solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas
  (water vapour).
• Most of the water is contained in the oceans and
  the high heat capacity of this large volume of
  water (1.35 million cubic kilometers) buffers the
  Earth surface from large temperature changes
• Water is the universal solvent and the basis of
  all life on our Planet. It is an essential
  life-sustaining resource which led Benjamin
  Franklin to comment "When the well's dry, we know
  the worth of water."

4
Continental waters

• Continental waters represent only 0.65 of the
  total amount of water stored on Earth
• However, continental waters have crucial impact
  on terrestrial life and human needs, and play a
  major role in climate variability

5
Continental waters

• Fresh continental waters are stored in various
  reservoirs the snow pack, underground
  reservoirs, the root zone (first few meters of
  the soil) and vegetation, and as surface waters
  (rivers, lakes, man-made reservoirs, wetlands and
  inundated areas).
• Continental water provide resources for human
  consumption and activities (agriculture,
  urbanisation, hydroelectric energy resources), as
  well as for climate prediction.

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Watershed

• A watershed is a geographic area in which all
  water running off the land drains to a
  specific creek, river or stream

7
Watershed vs. Basin

• A basin is a large-scale watershed, such as the
  St. Lawrence River basin

8
Cryosphere

• The cryosphere, derived from the Greek word kryo
  for "cold" or "too cold", is the term which
  collectively describes the portions of the
  Earths surface where water is in solid form,
  including sea ice, lake ice, river ice, snow
  cover, glaciers, ice caps and ice sheets, and
  frozen ground (which includes permafrost).

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Cryosphere

• The cryosphere is an integral part of the global
  climate system with important linkages and
  feedbacks generated through its influence on
  surface energy and moisture fluxes, clouds,
  precipitation, hydrology, and atmospheric and
  oceanic circulation.
• Through these feedback processes, the cryosphere
  plays a significant role in global climate

10
Hydro power

• Hydro power is power that is derived from the
  force or energy of moving water, which may be
  harnessed for useful purposes.
• Prior to the widespread availability of
  commercial electric power, hydropower was used
  for irrigation, and operation of various
  machines, such as watermills, textile machines,
  sawmills, dock cranes, and domestic lifts.

11
Hydroelectricity

• Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by
  hydropower, i.e., the production of power through
  use of the gravitational force of falling or
  flowing water. It is the most widely used form of
  renewable energy.
• Once a hydroelectric complex is constructed, the
  project produces no direct waste, and has a
  considerably different output level of the
  greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) than fossil
  fuel powered energy plants

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Hydroelectricity

• Hydro power is power that is derived from the
  force or energy of moving water, which may be
  harnessed for useful purposes.
• Prior to the widespread availability of
  commercial electric power, hydropower was used
  for irrigation, and operation of various
  machines, such as watermills, textile machines,
  sawmills, dock cranes, and domestic lifts.

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Notes

• The hydrosphere includes all water on Earth
• Most of the water is contained in the oceans and
  the high heat capacity of this large volume of
  water (1.35 million cubic kilometers) buffers the
  Earth surface from large temperature changes
• Continental waters represent only 0.65 of the
  total amount of water stored on Earth

14
Notes

• Fresh continental waters are stored in various
  reservoirs the snow pack, underground
  reservoirs, the root zone (first few meters of
  the soil) and vegetation, and as surface waters
  (rivers, lakes, man-made reservoirs, wetlands and
  inundated areas).
• Continental water provide resources for human
  consumption and activities (agriculture,
  urbanisation, hydroelectric energy resources), as
  well as for climate prediction.

15
Notes

• A watershed is a geographic area in which all
  water running off the land drains to a
  specific creek, river or stream
• A basin is a large-scale watershed
• The cryosphere is the term which collectively
  describes the portions of the Earths surface
  where water is in solid form, including sea ice,
  lake ice, river ice, snow cover, glaciers, ice
  caps and ice sheets, and frozen ground (which
  includes permafrost

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Notes

• The cryosphere plays a significant role in global
  climate
• Hydro power is power that is derived from the
  force or energy of moving water, which may be
  harnessed for useful purposes.
• Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by
  hydropower, i.e., the production of power through
  use of the gravitational force of falling or
  flowing water. It is the most widely used form of
  renewable energy.

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Questions

• How is the hydrosphere connected to the other
  spheres weve seen in class? (Think in terms of
  climate change)
• Continental waters provide a significant amount
  of our fresh water. What are some things we can
  do to preserve the quality of continental waters?
• Is fresh water a renewable resource? Explain your
  answer
• What are some advantages of using
  hydroelectricity? What are some disadvantages?
  (think in terms of the environment)