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
Q

Define riparian habitat

A

Habitat close next to the river

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26
Q

Define river regime

A

Variation in river discharge

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27
Q

Name 1 input into a drainage basin

A

Precipitation

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28
Q

Name 4 flows / transfers into a drainage basin

A
Infiltration
Percolation
Groundwater flow
Throughflow
Surface run off
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29
Q

Name 3 outputs into a drainage basin

A

River channel
Transpiration
Evaporation

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30
Q

Name 3 stores into a drainage basin

A

Ground water
Surface / storage
Interception

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31
Q

Define percolation

A

filtration of water through soil and permeable rocks

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32
Q

Infiltration vs percolation difference

A

Infiltration - the filtration of rainwater from the surface of the ground

Percolation - the filtration of infiltered water through soil particles and porous materials

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33
Q

Define channel flow

A

Water held in the channel as it moves through the drainage basin. Also temporary storage

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34
Q

Define channel storage

A

Water held in a river or stream channel

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35
Q

Define evapotranspiration

A

Loss of water by evaporation and transpiration

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36
Q

Define groundwater flow

A

Water moving through soil

37
Q

Define impermeable

A

Surface that doesn’t allow water to pass through

38
Q

Define interception

A

When precipitation lands of trees, building ect, before it reaches the soil

39
Q

Define infiltration

A

Downward movement of water into the soil

40
Q

Define mouth

A

Where a river meets the sea, ocean or lake

41
Q

Define overland flow

A

Surface runoff - water flowing over the ground due to impermeable rocks or infiltration excess

42
Q

Define precipitation

A

Rain - movement of weather from atmosphere to ground

43
Q

Define runoff

A

Water and sediment moved down by river channel and out of catchment area

44
Q

Define stem flow

A

Flow of intercepted water down the trunk or stem of a plant

45
Q

Define surface storage

A

Total volume of water held on Earth. Includes lakes and puddles

46
Q

Define through fall

A

Wet leaves shed excess water on to the ground

47
Q

Define throughflow

A

Water moving slowly through the rocks beneath the soil

48
Q

Define transpiration

A

evaporation from plant leaves

49
Q

How does an increase of CO2 in the atmosphere impact the water cycle? (point about rainfall)

A

Warmer = more water vapour absorbed - condensation = clouds = rainfall

50
Q

How does an increase of water in the atmosphere impact the carbon cycle?

A

Absorb more atmospheric carbon = less carbon on land = ecosystems less effective at absorbing carbon

51
Q

How does an increase of CO2 in the atmosphere impact the water cycle? (point about energy)

A

Warmer = more evaporation = more moisture = more latent energy absorbed = intense storms and winds

52
Q

Define afforestation

A

Planting trees where there was previously no tree cover

53
Q

Define antecedent

A

An event that happened before another. E.g. extreme rainfall

54
Q

Define approach segment

A

Discharge of a river before it’s input

55
Q

Define attenuated

A

Make something weaker

56
Q

Define base flow

A

Normal day-to-day flow of a river

57
Q

Define cumecs

A

m3/s

58
Q

Define deforrestation

A

Action of clearing a wide area of trees

59
Q

Define discharge

A

Water flowing through a river channel at any given point

60
Q

Define drainage density

A

The total length of all the streams and rivers in a drainage basin

61
Q

Define falling limb

A

The part of the hydrograph that records the decrease in the river’s flow

62
Q

Define flashy

A

Steep rising limb and short lag time

63
Q

Define gauging station

A

Monitor streams etc to collect data such as water height and velocity

64
Q

Define geology

A

The study of rocks

65
Q

Define hydrograph

A

Graph of the base flow in a river over a period of time in response to a precipitation event

66
Q

Define lag time

A

Time difference between peak rainfall and peak discharge

67
Q

Define peak discharge

A

The maximum amount of water is in the river

68
Q

Define peak rainfall

A

Maximum amount of rainfall

69
Q

Define relief

A

Difference between highest and lowest water level

70
Q

Define rising limb

A

Part of a hydrograph that records the increase of a river’s flow

71
Q

Define subdued

A

To bring under control by physical force

72
Q

Define triaxial graph

A

A graph with 3 axis

73
Q

Define urbanisation

A

Growth in proportion of a country’s population that live in an urban area

74
Q

Equation to find the river discharge

A

Q=VA
Q - discharge
V - velocity
A - mean cross sectional area

75
Q

What is river discharge measured in?

A

M3/S

76
Q

Name 5 of the 7 physical factors that impact river discharge

A
Geology
Relief
Drainage density
vegetation
Antecedent soil moisture
Precipitation type
Precipitation intensity
77
Q

How does geology impacts river discharge?

A

Impermeable = rapid rise in discharge as low infiltration capacity

78
Q

How does relief impacts river discharge?

A

Steep slopes = rapid water movement

79
Q

How does drainage density impacts river discharge?

A

Average length of stream channels per km. High = more discharge

80
Q

How does vegetation impacts river discharge? (3)

A

Intercepts rain then evaporation.
Transpiration through roots.
Seasonal changes

81
Q

How does antecedent soil moisture impacts river discharge?

A

Previous rainfall = saturated soil

82
Q

How does precipitation type impacts river discharge?

A

Snow releases water when it melts (weeks later?)

83
Q

How does precipitation intensity impacts river discharge?

A

Storms = more rainfall so flash flooding

84
Q

3 human facts that impact the river discharge

A

Land use
Agriculture
Construction

85
Q

How does land use impact the river discharge?

A

Impermeable surfaces don’t drain easily

86
Q

How does agriculture impact the river discharge? (3)

A

Extra surface draining
Livestock compress soil so loose soil washed away
Use river water during dry seaons

87
Q

How does construction impact the river discharge? (3)

A

Restrict channel or block debris
Reservoirs delay lag time
Levees increase river capacity

88
Q

How does global warming impact drainage basins? (2)

A

Warm air holds more moisture = lower discharge = less H20 in basin

More moisture = more extreme rainfall = extreme weather and high river discharge

89
Q

How do plants impact the drainage basin? (2)

A

Evaporation - water never passes through the system

Less throughflow and surface run off as absorb through roots