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A-Level Geography - Water and Carbon cycles > 1.2 - The Water Cycle > Flashcards

1.2 - The Water Cycle Flashcards

1
Q

Define condensation

A

The process in which water vapour is changed into water

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2
Q

Define confluence

A

Where two or more rivers combined to form one river

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3
Q

Define cryosphere

A

Global water volume in a solid state

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4
Q

Define drainage basin

A

Area of land that provides water to a river system

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5
Q

Define dynamic equilibrium

A

Stability in a cycle where there is a state of balance.

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6
Q

Define evaporation

A

Change of state from liquid water to water vapour through heating

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7
Q

Define hydrology

A

Movement, distribution, and management of water

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8
Q

Define hydrosphere

A

All the water on Earth’s surface

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9
Q

Define infiltration capacity

A

The rate in which water is able to pass through a solid

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10
Q

Define lithosphere

A

The crust and upper mantle for Earth. Mainly comprised of rock

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11
Q

Define negative feedback loop

A

Process in which an initial change brings about an additional change in the opposite direction (cattle grazing)

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12
Q

Define open system

A

Process in which an initial change brings about an additional change in the opposite direction (cattle grazing)

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13
Q

Define positive feedback loop

A

Process in which an initial change brings about an additional change in the same direction (climate change)

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14
Q

Define source

A

Contributes sediment

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15
Q

Define sublimation

A

Transfer of ice to water without being liquid

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16
Q

Define tributary

A

A river flowing into a lake or bigger river

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17
Q

Define water budget

A

Overall balance of inputs and outputs into a drainage basin

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18
Q

Define watershed

A

Edge of a drainage basin

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19
Q

Define water table

A

Top of saturated soil beneath soil

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20
Q

Define response in terms on rivers

A

How a river responds to an input

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21
Q

Is the infiltration capacity for sand and clay high or low?

A

Sand - high

Clay - low

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22
Q

Define permebale

A

Surface that allows water to pass through

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23
Q

Define porous

A

Rocks that have holes in them to contain water

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24
Q

Define dendritic

A

Tree branch shape

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25
Define riparian habitat
Habitat close next to the river
26
Define river regime
Variation in river discharge
27
Name 1 input into a drainage basin
Precipitation
28
Name 4 flows / transfers into a drainage basin
``` Infiltration Percolation Groundwater flow Throughflow Surface run off ```
29
Name 3 outputs into a drainage basin
River channel Transpiration Evaporation
30
Name 3 stores into a drainage basin
Ground water Surface / storage Interception
31
Define percolation
filtration of water through soil and permeable rocks
32
Infiltration vs percolation difference
Infiltration - the filtration of rainwater from the surface of the ground Percolation - the filtration of infiltered water through soil particles and porous materials
33
Define channel flow
Water held in the channel as it moves through the drainage basin. Also temporary storage
34
Define channel storage
Water held in a river or stream channel
35
Define evapotranspiration
Loss of water by evaporation and transpiration
36
Define groundwater flow
Water moving through soil
37
Define impermeable
Surface that doesn’t allow water to pass through
38
Define interception
When precipitation lands of trees, building ect, before it reaches the soil
39
Define infiltration
Downward movement of water into the soil
40
Define mouth
Where a river meets the sea, ocean or lake
41
Define overland flow
Surface runoff - water flowing over the ground due to impermeable rocks or infiltration excess
42
Define precipitation
Rain - movement of weather from atmosphere to ground
43
Define runoff
Water and sediment moved down by river channel and out of catchment area
44
Define stem flow
Flow of intercepted water down the trunk or stem of a plant
45
Define surface storage
Total volume of water held on Earth. Includes lakes and puddles
46
Define through fall
Wet leaves shed excess water on to the ground
47
Define throughflow
Water moving slowly through the rocks beneath the soil
48
Define transpiration
evaporation from plant leaves
49
How does an increase of CO2 in the atmosphere impact the water cycle? (point about rainfall)
Warmer = more water vapour absorbed - condensation = clouds = rainfall
50
How does an increase of water in the atmosphere impact the carbon cycle?
Absorb more atmospheric carbon = less carbon on land = ecosystems less effective at absorbing carbon
51
How does an increase of CO2 in the atmosphere impact the water cycle? (point about energy)
Warmer = more evaporation = more moisture = more latent energy absorbed = intense storms and winds
52
Define afforestation
Planting trees where there was previously no tree cover
53
Define antecedent
An event that happened before another. E.g. extreme rainfall
54
Define approach segment
Discharge of a river before it’s input
55
Define attenuated
Make something weaker
56
Define base flow
Normal day-to-day flow of a river
57
Define cumecs
m3/s
58
Define deforrestation
Action of clearing a wide area of trees
59
Define discharge
Water flowing through a river channel at any given point
60
Define drainage density
The total length of all the streams and rivers in a drainage basin
61
Define falling limb
The part of the hydrograph that records the decrease in the river’s flow
62
Define flashy
Steep rising limb and short lag time
63
Define gauging station
Monitor streams etc to collect data such as water height and velocity
64
Define geology
The study of rocks
65
Define hydrograph
Graph of the base flow in a river over a period of time in response to a precipitation event
66
Define lag time
Time difference between peak rainfall and peak discharge
67
Define peak discharge
The maximum amount of water is in the river
68
Define peak rainfall
Maximum amount of rainfall
69
Define relief
Difference between highest and lowest water level
70
Define rising limb
Part of a hydrograph that records the increase of a river’s flow
71
Define subdued
To bring under control by physical force
72
Define triaxial graph
A graph with 3 axis
73
Define urbanisation
Growth in proportion of a country’s population that live in an urban area
74
Equation to find the river discharge
Q=VA Q - discharge V - velocity A - mean cross sectional area
75
What is river discharge measured in?
M3/S
76
Name 5 of the 7 physical factors that impact river discharge
``` Geology Relief Drainage density vegetation Antecedent soil moisture Precipitation type Precipitation intensity ```
77
How does geology impacts river discharge?
Impermeable = rapid rise in discharge as low infiltration capacity
78
How does relief impacts river discharge?
Steep slopes = rapid water movement
79
How does drainage density impacts river discharge?
Average length of stream channels per km. High = more discharge
80
How does vegetation impacts river discharge? (3)
Intercepts rain then evaporation. Transpiration through roots. Seasonal changes
81
How does antecedent soil moisture impacts river discharge?
Previous rainfall = saturated soil
82
How does precipitation type impacts river discharge?
Snow releases water when it melts (weeks later?)
83
How does precipitation intensity impacts river discharge?
Storms = more rainfall so flash flooding
84
3 human facts that impact the river discharge
Land use Agriculture Construction
85
How does land use impact the river discharge?
Impermeable surfaces don't drain easily
86
How does agriculture impact the river discharge? (3)
Extra surface draining Livestock compress soil so loose soil washed away Use river water during dry seaons
87
How does construction impact the river discharge? (3)
Restrict channel or block debris Reservoirs delay lag time Levees increase river capacity
88
How does global warming impact drainage basins? (2)
Warm air holds more moisture = lower discharge = less H20 in basin More moisture = more extreme rainfall = extreme weather and high river discharge
89
How do plants impact the drainage basin? (2)
Evaporation - water never passes through the system Less throughflow and surface run off as absorb through roots

A-Level Geography - Water and Carbon cycles (6 decks)

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