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AQA A-Level Physical Geography > 🌧️3.1.1.2 - The Water Cycle > Flashcards

🌧️3.1.1.2 - The Water Cycle Flashcards

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1
Q

Gas —> Liquid

A

Condensation

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2
Q

Liquid —> Gas

A

Evaporation

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3
Q

Liquid —> Solid

A

Freezing

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4
Q

Solid —> Liquid

A

Melting

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5
Q

Solid —> Gas

A

Sublimation

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6
Q

Gas —> Solid

A

Deposition

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7
Q

What is precipitation?

A

Transfer of water form the atmosphere to the ground. It can take the form of rain, snow ,hail, dew etc

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8
Q

What is interception?

A

Water intercepted and stored in the leaves of plants

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9
Q

What is throughflow?

A

Water flowing through soil towards the river channel

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10
Q

What is infiltration?

A

Transfer of water from the ground surface into soil where it may then percolate into underlying rocks

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11
Q

What is percolation?

A

Water soaking into rocks

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12
Q

What is groundwater flow?

A

Transfer of water very slowly though rocks

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13
Q

What is latent heat?

A

The energy required to change the state of water by breaking hydrogen bonds between molecules

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14
Q

What is hydrogen bonding?

A

A strong intermolecular force between the H+ of one water molecule and the O 2- of another , holding them together

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15
Q

What is surface tension?

A

How the molecules on the surface of water behave and how tightly they are held together by hydrogen bonds

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16
Q

What is atmospheric water?

A

Water found in the atmosphere mainly water vapour with some liquid water and ice crystals

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17
Q

What is cryospheric water?

A

The water locked up on the Earth’s surface as ice

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18
Q

What is the hydrosphere?

A

A discontinuous layer of water at or near the Earth’s surface waters, groundwater held in soils and rock and atmospheric water vapour

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19
Q

What is oceanic water?

A

The water contained in the Earth’s oceans and seas but no including such inland seas as the Caspian sea

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20
Q

What is terrestrial water?

A

This consists of groundwater, soil moisture, lakes, wetlands and rivers

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21
Q

Which is the largest store of water?

A

Oceanic water

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22
Q

Where is most of the freshwater on Earth stored?

A

In the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets

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23
Q

What are inputs into the drainage basin?

A

Precipitation
Energy from the sun

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24
Q

What are stores in the drainage basin?

A

Lakes
Soil/Ground water
Interception/vegetation
River flow
Surface flows

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25
Q

What are transfers in the drainage basin?

A

Ground water flow
Percolation
Transpiration
Precipitation

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26
Q

What are the outputs from the drainage basin?

A

River discharge
Evaporation
Water vapour

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27
Q

What is the fastest movement of water through the drainage basin?

A

Along the surface where there are relatively few obstacles in the way of the water

28
Q

How fast is water movement though soil?

A

Somewhat slow, but varies more as clay soils retain water, slowing it down, but aerated soils and woodland channels allow it to move faster

29
Q

What is the slowest form of movement in the drainage basin?

A

Groundwater flow, as it can be held for millennia

30
Q

How much of the water on Earth is available for use by humans?

A

2.5%

31
Q

What is soil storage?

A

The amount of water stored in the soil

32
Q

What is vegetation storage?

A

The water stored in plants as they take it up from the soil

33
Q

What is transpiration?

A

Water lost from plants through stomata, released back to the atmosphere

34
Q

What is infiltration capacity?

A

The point where the soil becomes saturated

35
Q

What is water balance/budget?

A

The balance between inputs and outputs within the drainage basin

36
Q

What is the river’s regime?

A

As discharge levels rise and fall, often showing an annual pattern

37
Q

What is the formula for water balance?

A

Precipitation (P) = discharge (Q) + evapotranspiration (E) +/- changes in storage (S)

38
Q

What is stemflow?

A

The portion of precipitation intercepted by the canopy that reaches the ground by flowing down stems, stalks or trees.

39
Q

What are the factors impacting the soil moisture budget?

A

Precipitation
Potential evaporation

40
Q

What is potential evaporation?

A

The amount of evapotranspiration that could occur if there was sufficient water available in the system

41
Q

What is the formula for river discharge?

A

River discharge = cross sectional area x velocity

42
Q

What is water surplus?

A

When precipitation exceeds evapotranspiration

43
Q

How does drainage basin shape affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

Basins with a more circular shape have flashier hydrographs because each point is roughly equidistant from the channel

44
Q

How do slope angles affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

Drainage basins with steep sides have flashier hydrographs because water flows more quickly down steep slopes

45
Q

How does drainage density affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

Basins with a lot of surface stream tributaries have flashier hydrographs because all the water arrives at the same time

46
Q

How does antecedent (prior) rainfall affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

If the basin in already saturated, overland flow increases, so water moves quickly and peak discharge is higher, so flashier hydrographs

47
Q

How does rock type affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

If a rock is impermeable, overland flow will be higher, so lag time is reduced and the hydrograph is flashy

48
Q

How does vegetation cover affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

More vegetation leads to a subdued hydrograph because they intercepts and holds rainfall, slowing its path to the river channel

49
Q

How does amount and intensity of precipitation affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

Heavy storms with a lot of water entering at once produce flashy hydrographs. Slower lag time is precipitation is slow

50
Q

How does drainage basin size affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

Larger basins catch more precipitation and so have higher peak discharge. Smaller basins have shorter lag time, as water doesn’t travel as far

51
Q

How does deforestation affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

Reduces interception and lack of roots reduces infiltration rats, leading to rapid overland flow and flashy hydrographs

52
Q

How does afforestation affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

Opposite effect of deforestation, also decreases soil erosion, so less sedimentation of the channel, therefore increasing its capacity and reducing flooding

53
Q

How does agriculture affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

Ploughing allows infiltration, subdued hydrographs. Terraces stop water movement downhill, subdued hydrographs. Grass crops increase infiltration, subdued hydrograph

54
Q

How does growth of urban areas affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

Flashy hydrographs: impermeable surfaces, floodplains, water moved directly into river, loss of green spaces and vegetation

55
Q

How does soft engineering flood management affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

Some schemes attempt to reduce flashiness of hydrographs. Afforestation increases interception and infiltration, subdues discharge

56
Q

How does water abstraction affect the shape of a storm hydrograph?

A

Reduces the base flow and so more water must reach the channel before it reaches bankfull capacity and floods

57
Q

What is the base flow?

A

The normal day to day discharge of the river

58
Q

What is the impact of deforestation on the water cycle?

A

New vegetation generally has fewer leaves and shallower roots, so uses less water
So less water evaporates from the land surface to be returned to the atmosphere
More water runs off the land and stream flow is increased
Amount of rainfall may decrease or river discharge will increase

59
Q

What is the impact of agricultural soil drainage on the water cycle?

A

Heavy machinery can work the land without compaction, leading to more overland flow
The insertion of drains increases rate flow through in the soil
Can increase likelihood of flooding as discharge becomes more flashy and peak discharge increases
Soils can be eroded and soil water decreases

60
Q

What is the impact of water abstraction on the water cycle?

A

Ground water levels fall and saline intrusion can occur, contaminating water supplies
Precipitation and rainfall don’t replace water used

61
Q

What is El Nino?

A

A cycle of warn and cold temperatures measured using sea surface temperatures of the tropical Pacific

62
Q

What is El Nino caused by?

A

Strong extensive interaction between the ocean and atmosphere

63
Q

How can El Nino affect the water cycle?

A

Can cause droughts and global declines in evapotranspiration despite rising temperatures. Reduced precipitation leads to lower soil/ground water levels

64
Q

How can tropical storms affect the water cycle?

A

Increased rainfall and storm surges over the and can lead to greater river discharge and saturated ground

65
Q

How can drought affect the water cycle?

A

Causes reduction in water stores in rivers and lakes
Vegetation dies back or is destroyed by fires, affecting transpiration, interception and infiltration
Groundwater flow becomes more important as a long term transfer, soils dry out

66
Q

Soil moisture recharge

A

When ppn > ET again so soil moisture us replenished until field capacity

67
Q

Field capacity

A

Amount of soil moisture or water content held in soil after excess water has drained away and the rate of downward movement has materially decreased

AQA A-Level Physical Geography (28 decks)

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