1answer.
Ask question
Login Signup
Ask question
All categories
  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Social Studies
  • Business
  • History
  • Health
  • Geography
  • Biology
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Computers and Technology
  • Arts
  • World Languages
  • Spanish
  • French
  • German
  • Advanced Placement (AP)
  • SAT
  • Medicine
  • Law
  • Engineering
UNO [17]
3 years ago
10

What maintains the water cycle?

Biology
1 answer:
Rina8888 [55]3 years ago
8 0

70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans. It is the only inner planet where all three phases of water (liquid, ice, and vapor) coexist. The movement of water in its different forms, and the perpetual water phase changes are essential ingredients of the planetary water cycle (also known as the hydrological cycle). Precipitation is a major component of the water cycle, and is responsible for most of the fresh water on the planet. It occurs when water vapor levels in the atmosphere reach saturation upon which water vapor condenses or deposits on small particles called condensation/ice nuclei to form clouds consisting of suspended liquid or ice particles or a mixture of both. Under appropriate conditions larger liquid and ice particles form that fall to the surface as precipitation due to gravity. Precipitation is associated with a vast range of weather events: tropical cyclones, thunderstorms, frontal systems, drizzle, snowfall, etc.

The driving force of precipitation and the water cycle in general is the solar energy from the Sun. Earth maintains a delicate balance of radiative energy by reflecting approximately one third of the incoming solar radiation, and emitting the remaining two-thirds that are absorbed as infrared radiation back to space. At the Earth’s surface and within the atmosphere, the energy balance is more complex than for the planet as a whole. In fact, neither the surface nor atmosphere can achieve radiative energy balance by themselves without the critical involvement of water. The surface absorbs more solar radiation than is lost by net emission of infrared radiation, with the excess energy transferred to the atmosphere mostly in the form of latent heat – the energy required to evaporate surface water and then released to the atmosphere when cloud formation and precipitation occurs. The water in the atmosphere, whether in vapor, liquid or ice form, further affects atmospheric radiation and heating or cooling. Thus, the cycling of water between its different phases, and its transport across the globe (i.e., between the surface and atmosphere, the ocean and land, and from the tropics to the poles and back), are all intricately connected and responsible for the water cycle of the Earth.

The physical processes governing the water and energy cycles are extremely complicated, involving scales ranging from the planetary to the microscopic. Any alterations in atmospheric gaseous composition (water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, etc.), particulates (desert dust, smoke, urban smog, etc), or clouds (coverage and brightness) can disturb the radiative heat balance and result in chain reactions in the hydrological cycle. It is very important for the climate community to not only closely monitor the regional and global water budget, but to also understand changes in frequency of occurrence and strength of individual weather events. This is especially true of extreme weather events, which have great societal and economic impacts. Whether we will have more or more intense tropical storms, mega-snow events, or dust-bowls in the near or far future climate is one of the key focus areas of climate research.

Scientists in the Climate and Radiation Lab make synergistic use of satellite and ground based observations of precipitation and clouds to understand the characteristics and interactions of various components of the water cycle and to detect possible trends and variability that may be linked to climate forcing. Recent efforts along these lines include studies of tropical rainfall variability from TRMM, weekly cycle of precipitation and storm activity due to modulation by pollution aerosols, and of recent trends in North Pacific and Atlantic precipitation from tropical cyclones. Numerical simulations from high-resolution cloud resolving models, medium range weather research forecast models and fully-coupled land-ocean-atmosphere climate models are used in conjunction with observations to understand physical processes that modulate weather, climate and extreme events and their future projections. For example, CRL investigators have recently analyzed the precipitation projections of coupled global models used for the next IPCC report under increased carbon dioxide emission scenarios and found circulation and moisture variability changes large enough to induce more frequent drought and flood episodes in certain regions of the planet. Lab scientists are also involved in satellite-based remote sensing of precipitation which is expected to make a big leap forward with the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, an international constellation of satellites that provide the next-generation global observations of rain and snow. The centerpiece of the mission, the GPM Core Observatory expected to launch in 2014 carries two advanced space-borne sensors, a microwave imager and a precipitation radar which are capable of providing more complete insight into the nature of precipitation processes.

You might be interested in
Why does hazardous waste require special handling?
devlian [24]

Answer:

A hazardous waste is a special type of waste because it cannot be disposed of by common means like other by-products of our everyday lives. Depending on the physical state of the waste, treatment and solidification processes might be required.

Explanation:

6 0
3 years ago
Read 2 more answers
Why does changing the pH of a solution affect the ability of an enzyme to catalyze a chemical reation?
sdas [7]

The answer is B to your question

6 0
3 years ago
A model of a specific event during meiosis is shown with various possible combinations. Which statement correctly cites evidence
Lynna [10]

Answer:

D) Chromosomes can align in metaphase I in multiple possible arrangements in a process called independent assortment.

Explanation:

8 0
3 years ago
Read 2 more answers
Tobacco mosaic virus has RNA rather than DNA as its genetic material. In a hypothetical situation where RNA from a tobacco mosai
jolli1 [7]

Answer:

The correct answer is A. Tobacco mosaic virus

Explanation:

Virus can have DNA and RNA as its genetic material. Tobacco mosaic virus has RNA as its genetic material. Protein is not a genetic material because it is a product coded by genetic material.  

So a hybrid can be made only when the genetic material of two different organisms is mixed not two different biomolecules. Therefore when RNA from the tobacco mosaic virus is mixed with the protein from a DNA virus the result would be a tobacco mosaic virus only.

5 0
3 years ago
How does the occurrence of mutation impact biodiversity?
irina1246 [14]
On the off chance that a change happens, if beneficial in the scarcest, normal choice picks it to wind up noticeably the more typical quality, and consequently development happens. For instance the dark demise wiped out one in three Europeans, now researchers are finding that some of the individuals who survived had transformations on their resistant framework cells; they needed regular receptors, or generally had few. (DNA resembles history, obviously, they aren't meeting with dark torment patients, the DNA in Caucasian Europeans goes about as an authentic guide of past bottlenecks.) Because Europeans with this transformation were to the least extent liable to bite the dust of the dark passing they were the well on the way to survive, which is the reason the calamity of the bubonic torment brought about somewhere in the range of 20% of Caucasian European relatives to do not have these receptors on their invulnerable framework cells which thusly diminishes the danger of resistance illnesses, for example, assistants.
8 0
3 years ago
Other questions:
  • HELP ME PLZZ I NEED HELP
    8·2 answers
  • Mitosis is characterized by four stages. select the list of stages in the correct chronological order.
    5·1 answer
  • Ores are naturally occurring materials that can be mined profitably. true or false
    7·2 answers
  • in a clade, mammalian has the three descendents: monotreme, marsupials, and eutheria. What will these three descendants together
    9·1 answer
  • What hormone is produced by beta cells of the pancreas?<br> T3<br> glucagon<br> insulin<br> T4
    8·1 answer
  • Western and Eastern cultures tend to view dreams in the same ways. TRUE OR FALSE
    8·2 answers
  • The process by which plants transfer water into the air.
    13·2 answers
  • Look at this graph:
    6·1 answer
  • Which type of energy is the flow of electrons from a negative to a positive?
    15·1 answer
  • How many amino acids must be obtained in the diet because they cannot be made by the body? A. 2 B.5 C.10 D.20
    15·1 answer
Add answer
Login
Not registered? Fast signup
Signup
Login Signup
Ask question!