Unit 8 Terms

Unit 8 terms

1. Potable- drinkable, that is, free from harmful chemicals and organisms.

2. Freshwater- water that flows from the land to oceans and contains little or no salt.

3. Domestic- household use.

4. Tidewater- the water that flows up the mouth of a river as the ocean tide rises or comes in.

5. Food chain- the interdependence of plants and animals for food constitutes.

6. Universal solvent- a material that dissolves or otherwise changes most other materials.

7. Water cycle- the cycling of water among the water sources, atmosphere, and surface areas.

8. Desert- areas with continues severe water shortages.

9. Irrigation- the addition of water to plants to supplement the water provided by rain or snow.

10. Precipitation- the formation of rain and snow.

11. Evaporation- changing from a liquid to a vapor or gas.

12. Water shed- a large land area in which water is absorbed from rain or melting snow.

13. Water table- the level below which soil is saturated or filled with water.

14. Fertility- the amount and type of nutrients in the soil.

15. Free water- water that drains out of soil after it has been wetted.

16. Gravitational water- feeds wells and springs.

17. Capillary water- plant roots can absorb or take up this moisture.

18. Hydroscopic water- water that is held too tightly for plant roots to absorb.

19. Purify- to remove all foreign material.

20. No-till- planting crops without plowing or disking the soil.

21. Contour- following the level of land around a hill.

22. Cover crop- a close-growing crop planted to temporarily protect the soil surface.

23. Port- a town having a harbor for ships to take on cargo.

24. Aquifer- a water-bearing rock formation.

25. Sheet erosion- removal of layers of soil from the land.

26. Gully erosion- soil removal that leaves trenches.

27. Mulch- a material placed on soil to break the fall of rain drops, prevents weeds form...