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Water and carbon cycle > 3.1.1.2 The water cycle > Flashcards

3.1.1.2 The water cycle Flashcards

1
Q

Description of the lithosphere

A
  • surface water, including biological and groundwater
  • Finland and Canada have the most lakes
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2
Q

Description of the hydrosphere

A
  • oceans cover 70% of the earth’s surface
  • contains 97% of water
  • saline
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3
Q

Description of the cryosphere

A
  • water held in ice
  • if ice sheets melted, sea levels would rise by 60m
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4
Q

Description of atmosphere

A
  • commonly water vapour
  • warm air holds more vapour than cold air
  • increase in water vapour leads to an increase in temperatures (positive feedback)
  • absorbs and reflects solar radiation
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5
Q

Name the 5 factors driving the change in water stores

A
  • evaporation
  • condensation
  • cloud formation
  • precipitation
  • cryospheric processes
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6
Q

What do the rates of evaporation depend upon

A
  • amount of solar energy
  • the availability of water
  • humidity of the air (the more humid the air, the less evaporation)
  • temperature of the air (warmer air can hold more water)
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7
Q

Define relative humidity

A

The amount of water vapour in the air compared to how much it could possibly hold at that temperature.

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8
Q

How could condensation occur

A
  • air is cooled
  • there is a fall in pressure
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9
Q

What does cloud formation require

A

A condensation nuclei

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10
Q

Define dew point

A

The point where the air is at maximum saturation

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11
Q

What are the two main causes of precipitation

A
  • air temperature is reduced to dew point
  • volume of air increases as it rises, without an increase in temperature (adiabatic cooling)
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12
Q

Define orographic rainfall

A

Air is forced to rise over hills/ mountains

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13
Q

Define convectional rainfall

A

Warm air rises away from surfaces and cools

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14
Q

Define frontal rainfall

A

Air masses of different temperatures meet and the warm air rises

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15
Q

Define accumulation

A

Inputs of a glacial system due to snowfall compressing into glacial ice

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16
Q

Define ablation

A

Outputs of a glacial system due to melting

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17
Q

Define sublimation

A

Ice changing directly into water vapour

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18
Q

What is a drainage basin

A

An area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

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19
Q

What is the name of the boundary of a drainage basin

A

Watershed

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20
Q

Define evapotranspiration

A

Combined loss of water through evaporation and transpiration

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21
Q

Define runoff

A

The output of water from the drainage basin system as it moves across the surface

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22
Q

Define interception as a store

A

A short term storm where vegetation can hold precipitation on leaves and branches

23
Q

Define surface storage

A

Puddles
Generally more common in built environments where there is less infiltration

24
Q

Define soil water storage

A

Pore spaces between soil particles fill with water

25
Q

What percentage of sand is pore spaces

A

20-45%

26
Q

What percentage of clay is pore spaces

A

40-60%

27
Q

Define groundwater storage

A

Water stores underground in permeable and porous rocks

28
Q

Define channel store

A

The volume of water in a river channel

29
Q

Define stemflow

A

Water flowing down the stems of plants and trees

30
Q

Define infiltration

A

Water which soaks into the soils

31
Q

Define overland flow

A

Rainfall which flows over the ground because the soil is saturated or because rainfall exceeds infiltration capacity

32
Q

Define channel flow

A

The flow of water in rivers

33
Q

Define throughfall

A

Water moving from vegetation to the ground

34
Q

Define throughflow

A

The lateral movement of water down a slope to a river channel

35
Q

Define percolation

A

Downward movement of water to underground stores

36
Q

Define groundwater flow

A

Slow movement of water within saturated rock

37
Q

Factors affecting infiltration rate

A
  • increased vegetation means an increased rate (roots)
  • the gradient of hill slopes (topography)
  • the flow supply
38
Q

Main factor affecting soil storage

A

Type of soil (sand or clay)

39
Q

Factors affecting interception rates

A
  • type of vegetation (coniferous intercepts 35% precipitation whereas deciduous intercepts 25% annually)
  • plant density
  • precipitation intensity
40
Q

Define the water balance

A

The long term balance between the inputs and outputs of a drainage basin system

41
Q

Define positive water balance

A

Precipitation exceeds evapotranspiration

42
Q

How do seasonal changes affect the water balance

A
  • In winter, the increased precipitation may lead to a soil moisture surplus and increased runoff
  • In summer, utilisation of water by humans and vegetation may be high and there could be a soil moisture defecit
43
Q

What measures river flow

A

Discharge

44
Q

How do drainage basin characteristics affect the flood hydrograph

A

Larger drainage basins catch more precipitation meaning a large peak discharge, however this discharge must travel further so there is a lower lag time.
Opposite for small drainage basins

45
Q

How does the amount of water already present in the drainage basin (antecedent moisture) affect lag time.

A

If the soil is already saturated, there will be more surface runoff (the fastest flow) therefore there will be a shorter lag time.

46
Q

How does rock type affect the flood hydrograph

A

Impermeable rock reduces infiltration, increases surface runoff, reducing lag time.
Peak discharge increases as more water reaches the river faster

47
Q

Human factors on the storm hydrograph

A
  • Impermeable surfaces increases runoff
  • Man made drainage systems also reduce lag time
48
Q

How do storm events change the water cycle over time

A

During a storm event there is less infiltration, more surface runoff and therefore more flooding

49
Q

How do seasonal events change the water cycle over time

A
  • wet seasons have a water surplus
  • dry seasons have a water deficit (link to water balance)
50
Q

How do farming practices change the water cycle over time

A
  • huge quantities of water are used in food production which redistributes water away from natural pathways
  • farmers dig ditches to avoid waterlogging plants which increases overland flow
  • depleted groundwater stores to be used for irrigation
51
Q

How does water abstraction change the water cycle over time

A
  • the process of taking water from a ground source
  • can cause rivers to dry up and damage to wetland environments
  • salt water intrusion in coastal areas
52
Q

How does Israel combat against abstraction

A
  • 86% water reuse
  • 600,000m^3 per day desalination plant
53
Q

How does deforestation change the water cycle over time

A
  • lowers evapotranspiration and interception
  • increases overland flow and throughflow as vegetation usually slows down these processes
  • increased discharge and increased risk of flooding

Water and carbon cycle (4 decks)

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