Over the oceans, evaporation exceeds precipitation, yet sea level does not drop. Explain why

What will be an ideal response?


This is because the hydrologic cycle is in balance. Although there is more evaporation occurring over oceans than precipitation, the opposite is true over land. Freshwater continues to enter the oceans from the land through runoff, balancing the unequal evaporation/precipitation occurring over oceans and continents.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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Which of the following surface elevations is clearly underlain by oceanic crust?

A) 8.85 km B) 0 km (sea level) C) - 0.5 km D) - 5 km

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Which of the following is an exogenic process?

A) earthquakes B) volcanism C) flows of heat and materials in the mantle D) weathering

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Climate change is a well-known human problem and remains controversial despite widespread scientific agreement on the issue

Although most scientists are familiar with the issues, if you were a congressman and wanted an informed analysis of the problem, which of the following would be most likely to give you the most complete analysis? A) a physicist B) a geologist with knowledge of astronomy C) a meteorologist with knowledge of oceanography D) an astronomer

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What best describes what happens when an acid such as HCl is mixed with water?

A. A hydroxide ion from the water is transferred to the HCl molecule to form a proton and hydronium ion. B. The proton chemically bonded to the chlorine is transferred to a water molecule and forms a chloride ion and a hydronium ion. C. HCl is not an acid. D. A proton from the chlorine nucleus is ejected and captured by a water molecule to form a negatively charged HCl and a new hydronium ion. E. none of the above

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences