Unit 3 Vocab

Front

Estuary

Back

A coastal area where freshwater from rivers and streams meets and mixes with saltwater from the ocean.

Front

Brackish

Back

Water that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It is often found in estuaries.

Front

Tributary

Back

A river or stream that flows into a larger river or lake.

Front

Divide

Back

A ridge or elevated region that separates watersheds or drainage basins.

Front

Wetlands

Back

Areas of land that are saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, and support aquatic plants.

Front

Chemical Weathering

Back

The process by which rocks are broken down by chemical reactions, such as oxidation or dissolution.

Front

Physical Weathering

Back

The mechanical breakdown of rocks and minerals into smaller pieces without changing their chemical composition.

Front

Water Quality

Back

A measure of the condition of water based on chemical, physical, and biological characteristics.

Front

pH

Back

A scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

Front

Turbidity

Back

The cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles.