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A Level Global Systems > 1 - the concepts of system and mass balance ✅ > Flashcards

1 - the concepts of system and mass balance ✅ Flashcards

1
Q

what are the sources of water globally

A

liquid water dominates about 98% of water in liquid form, mostly in oceans

OCEANS - 96.9%
ICE CAPS - 1.9%
GROUNDWATER - 1.1%
RIVERS AND LAKES - 0.01%
SOIL MOISTURE - 0.01%
ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE - 0.001%

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2
Q

what are the three phases water are present in

A

liquid water
ice
atmospheric moisture

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3
Q

what approach are water and carbon cycles understood through

A

through a SYSTEMS APPROACH

systems are bounded and have inputs, outputs and throughputs

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4
Q

what are throughputs

A

the amount of material or items passing through a system or process.

throughputs are mediated by processes internal to the system which are often understood grouped together as sub-systems

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5
Q

what is an example of a subsystem in the water cycle

A

a DRAINAGE BASIN is considered a sub-system

it has inputs of rainfall from the atmosphere, outputs of river discharge (to ocean) and evaporation (to atmosphere) and includes water storage in surface waters as soil moisture and groundwater

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6
Q

what is the water cycle

A

the hydrological cycle (water) is a CONCEPTUAL MODEL illustrating the flow of water moving between earth systems by energy that is derived from the Sun

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7
Q

what are the directions of water

A
  1. moisture moving INTO the atmosphere
  2. moisture moving THROUGH the atmosphere
  3. moisture returning FROM the atmosphere to the earth

earth’s systems’ interconnectedness means a change in one system often results in change in one or more of other systems

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8
Q

what is the conservation of mass

A

a theory that states mass is neither created nor destroyed

we can use it to keep track of the water in a given closed system eg watershed

PRECIPITATION - EVAPORATION - CHANGES IN STORAGE (snow, glaciers, lakes, groundwater) = discharge!!

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9
Q

what is condensation

A

transformation of water vapour to liquid water droplets in air creating cloud and fog

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10
Q

what is precipitation and what are the forms

A

condensed water vapour falling to earth’s surface, occurs in rain, hail, sleet, fog drip, graupel and clouds

PRIMARY connection in water cycle, delivers atmospheric water to earth

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11
Q

what is deposition

A

thermodynamic process of gas (vapour) transforming into solid (ice) known as desublimination

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12
Q

what is percolation

A

water flows horizontally through the soil and rocks under the influence of gravity

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13
Q

what is transpiration

A

release of water vapour from plants and soil into the air

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14
Q

what is an aquifer

A

a permeable or porous rock holding water

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15
Q

what is groundwater flow

A

slow transfer of percolated water underground through previous or porous rocks

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16
Q

what is evaporation

A

process by which water changes from liquid to gas/vapour

PRIMARY pathway that water moves from liquid state back into water cycle

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17
Q

what is evapotranspiration

A

evaporation can occur from open water/wet surfaces
transpiration are affected by plant type and growth condition

both processes are maximised when water is not limited

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18
Q

what is the lithosphere

A

LITHOSPHERE includes:
- solid part of earth (mountains, valleys, fields, plains, bedrock)
- not solid interior of Earth
- thin layer of soil covering solid Earth parts

soil is considered a ‘sub-sphere’ of the geosphere

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19
Q

what is the hydrosphere

A

HYDROSPHERE is:
- all of Earth’s bodies of water (lakes, rivers, ocean, groundwaters, earths frozen water)

also considered a sub-sphere with its own name - the cryosphere

20
Q

what is the cryosphere

A

portions of the earths surface where water is in a solid form, usually ice or snow

includes sea ice, freshwater ice, snow, glaciers, frozen ground (permafrost)

21
Q

what is the biosphere

A

the collection of all living things on earth :
plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa

22
Q

what is the atmosphere

A

ATMOSPHERE - the blanket of gas (air) surrounding earth

includes rain that is falling through air, clouds, tiny suspended particles of dust (aerosols) found in air

23
Q

what is infiltration and infiltration capacity

A

movement of water from ground surface into soil

maximum rate at which rain can be absorbed by a soil

24
Q

what is salt water encroachment and why does it happen

A

movement of salt water into fresh water aquifers due to sea level rise, storm surges, human abstraction of groundwater

25
Q

what is thermohaline circulation

A

global system of surface and deep water ocean currents is driven by temperature (thermos) and salinity (haline) differences between areas of oceans

26
Q

what is the importance of groundwater and how does human activity affect this

A
  • 97% of all freshwater is in groundwater
  • supplies large proportions of water
  • human activity affects it as population growth = overabstraction of groundwater = falling water tables, declining yields, land subsidence, saline intrusion, and deterioration of fresh water ecosystems
  • pollution of groundwater from poor sanitation systems, industrial waste, chemical fertiliser and pesticides
27
Q

what are the roles of vegetation in the water cycle

A

INTERCEPTION
LEAFDRIP
STEMFLOW
THROUGHFALL
DIRECT IMPACT
TRANSPIRATION
INFILTRATION
THROUGHFLOW
OVERLAND FLOW/SURFACE RUNOFF

28
Q

what is the role of interception in the water cycle

A

precipitation intercepted, then evaporates (interception loss). volume intercepted dependent on nature of vegetation

29
Q

what is the role of leafdrip in the water cycle

A

total volume of water dripping influenced by leaf shape, presence/absence of any waxy cuticle and surface form of leaf as hairy leaves retain more water

larger raindrops reach terminal velocity after any fall of 9m so if forest contains high canopy, erosion from this will be large so trees dont protect against erosion

30
Q

what is the role of stemflow in the water cycle

A

greatest on trees with smooth barked, steep angular branches but if tree covered in acid pollutants then rainfall pH may be decreased

31
Q

what are the roles of throughfall and throughflow

A

THROUGHFALL - refers to intercepted water dripping off leaves/branches to ground

THROUGHFLOW - water always moving downwards (gravity) but water may be deflected laterally by soil particles and impermeable soil components

32
Q

what is the role of direct impact in the water cycle

A

raindrops possess kinetic energy so amount of energy transmitted to soil is proportional to product of rainfall intensity/duration

33
Q

what is the role of transpiration in the water cycle

A

loss of water through stomata and evaporation/transpiration = evapotranspiration

loss of water pulls water through xylem tubes encouraging water to be absorbed from soil

34
Q

what is the role of overland flow/surface runoff in the water cycle

A

water unable to infiltrate collects on soil surface and begins flow away over the surface

caused by naturally impermeable surfaces

35
Q

what is the role of infiltration in the water cycle and what helps its efficiency

A

the absorption of water into soil influenced by soil porosity

decomposed leaf litter adds to organic matter in soil improving its structure, permeability and promoting efficient infiltration

36
Q

what are consequences of removing vegetation

A
  • kinetic energy of raindrops = splash erosion breaking up soil aggregates, throws soil particles into air carried off into surface runoff resulting in sealing crust of fine silt/clay
  • deforestation changes processes at soil surface and within. decrease in organic matter = soil structure/infiltration capacity reduced
  • surface runoff accelerates, carries soil particles loosened away and greater volume of water naturally reaches soil
37
Q

what happened to the greenland ice sheet

A
  • glacial melting is happening earlier than the usual summer months, reducing the albedo (reflectivity) rate of the surface ice leading to increased ice melt
  • 2016, early melt happened from 10th-15th April
  • warmer winters have meant less snowfall and previous winter snow can absorb early meltwater but these factors = higher summer melt
38
Q

what is overland flow and the two types

A

overland flow - movement of water across surface towards river/lake

SATURATION EXCESS OVERLAND flow = if rainfall continues for a long time, soil becomes saturated and throughflow deflected closer to surface as water table rises

INFILTRATION EXCESS OVERLAND flow = occurs when rainfall is intense irrespective of how wet/dry the soil. common in arid and semi arid areas with hard baked ground reducing infiltration flow

39
Q

what is hygroscopic water

A

water adhering in thin films to soil particles (not available to plants)

40
Q

what is capillary action

A

water forming thin films and occupying pore spaces in soil

held against force of gravity by surface tension, available for plants to use. remains in soil after infiltration following storm event

41
Q

what is gravitational water

A

occupies large free-draining spaces in soil
this transitionary water drains quickly after end of rainfall, reducing waterlogging

42
Q

what is field capacity

A

amount of water in soil following loss of gravitational water after saturation and wilting point is loss of water following transpiration

43
Q

what are outputs in the drainage basin

A
  • evaporation
  • transpiration
  • channel discharge (cumecs)
44
Q

what are natural causes of climate change

A
  • changes in the earth’s orbit
  • variations in heat output from the sun
  • volcanic activity
45
Q

what are the features in the Milankovitch cycle

A
  1. eccentricity (earths orbit not fixed, was circular now elliptical, complete cycle takes 100,000 years leading to changes in climate)
  2. axial tilt (earths axis at 23.5 degrees over period of 41,000 years it changes between 21.5 - 24.5 = change in climate)
  3. precession (a natural wobble taking about 26,000 years, certain regions like Norway have long days and nights at certain times of year)
46
Q

what is the affect of solar activity on the climate

A
  • cyclical changes in energy linked to sunspots presence which increase from max to min over 11 year sunspot cycle
  • maximum sunspot activity = more heat given off
  • minimum sunspot activity = usually lower temperatures on earth
47
Q

what is the affect of volcanic activity on the climate

A
  • large scale volcanoes erupt huge ash, gas and liquids into atmosphere
  • ash blocks out sun reducing temp for many years
  • 1815 Tambora eruption, Indonesia reduced global temperatures by 0.4-0.7 degrees

A Level Global Systems (10 decks)

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