1. The Water Cycle

Question 1

Precipitation (input)

Answer 1

Includes all the ways moisture comes out of the atmosphere. (Rain/ snow/ hail)

Question 2

Interception (storage)

Answer 2

Occurs when precipitation lands on vegetation (e.g. trees/ grass or buildings) and is stored until it evaporates or flows downwards

Question 3

Surface water (storage)

Answer 3

Includes water in puddles, ponds and lakes - precipitation lies on the surface until it soaks into the ground

Question 4

Soil water (storage)

Answer 4

Includes moisture in the soil - occurs when water which has infiltrated downwards into the soil, remains in storage there.

Question 5

Channel storage

Answer 5

It’s the water held in a river or a stream, and stays there until it flows into the sea

Question 6

Channel flow (transfer)

Answer 6

Is the water flowing in the river or stream, collected from adjacent land.

Question 7

Percolation (transfers)

Answer 7

Is the constant movement of water down through the soil into the rocks below

Question 8

Infiltration (transfers)

Answer 8

Is water soaking into the soil

Question 9

Groundwater flow (transfers)

Answer 9

Is water flowing slowly below the water table through permeable rock

Question 10

Through-flow (transfers)

Answer 10

Is water moving slowly downhill through the soil

Question 11

Stem flow

Answer 11

Is water running down a plant stem or a tree trunk

Question 12

Overland flow (transfers)

Answer 12

Is water flowing over the land, into rivers

Question 13

Evaporation (outputs)

Answer 13

Is water turning into water vapour, lost from the land and river

Question 14

River runoff (outputs)

Answer 14

When the water from the whole river system flows into the sea

Question 15

Transpiration

Answer 15

Is where water is lost from a plant through the stomata in its leaves into the atmosphere

Question 16

Question 17

Drainage basin

Answer 17

An area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

Question 18

Water balance/ budget

Answer 18

The state of equilibrium in a drainage basin between the inputs and outputs

Question 19

The four main physical systems:

Answer 19

-Lithosphere(land)
-Hydrosphere (liquid water)
-Cryrosphere (frozen water - snow and ice)
- Atmosphere (air)