4.1 Flashcards
What is the hydrological cycle?
(hint don’t explain here just say what it is)
The hydrological cycle is used to describe the movement of water on the planet.
Storages and flows
A model of the hydrological cycle consists of storages (stock) and flows (inputs and outputs). An understanding of water storages and flows can be used to make more effective use of our water resources.
Name examples of storages
Major water storages include:
Oceans
Surface waters, such as streams, rivers and lakes
Ice caps and glaciers
Soil moisture
Water vapour and clouds within the atmosphere
Groundwater within aquifers
Organisms, such as plants and animals.
Name examples of flows
evaporation, sublimation, condensation, convection (wind-blown movement), precipitation, melting, freezing, flooding, surface runoff, infiltration, percolation, and stream-flow or currents.
What is the distribution of the earths water?
97.5% of the total volume of water on Earth is salt water, while 2.5% is fresh water of the fresh water, 69% is in glaciers, 30% is underground, and less than 1% is located in lakes, rivers, and swamps
Only 3% of water on the surface is fresh, while the remaining 97% resides in the ocean.
What is transfer and transformation in water cycle?
Transfers normally flow through a system and involve a change in location.
Energy transformation, on the other hand, leads to an interaction within a system in the formation of a new end product, or involve a change of state.
How does Water flow into the atmosphere?
Solar radiation drives the hydrological cycle. Water transforms from liquid to vapour as the sun causes evaporation from land and sea surfaces. Through the biological process of transpiration water moves from the root system in plants to the leaves, where it is lost as vapour to the atmosphere. The processes of evaporation and transpiration are collectively called evapotranspiration and are affected by climatic factors such as temperature and wind speed. There may also be some contribution to water vapour through the process of sublimation. This is when ice or snow turns directly into water vapour.
how does Water flow out of the atmosphere?
The water droplets within clouds grow and join together until they become too heavy. They then fall as precipitation returning to the surface of the earth, usually in the form of rain. If temperatures are low enough, the process of deposition may occur. This is where water vapour in the clouds forms snow. About 80% of precipitation falls directly into the sea and the rest falls on land. In addition, when temperatures fall overnight, condensation can occur and the water vapour in the atmosphere is deposited on the ground as dew.
How does Water flow on land?
The movement of water overland is dependent on many factors including, the topography, geology, soil characteristics and vegetation cover. The flow of water over land is referred to as surface run-off. If precipitation occurs in the form of snow, it often remains on the land surface longer than rain. There needs to be a sufficient increase in temperature for the snow to melt from a solid into liquid water and contribute to surface run-off. Conversely if surface temperatures fall sufficiently, the water could become frozen forming ice and the movement of water reduced.
what is Infiltration?
Infiltration is the downward entry of water into the soil or rock surface
what is Percolation?
Percolation is the flow of water through soil and porous or fractured rock
what is urbanisation in the context of this unit?
Urbanization refers to the movement of people from rural areas to towns and cities, which is accompanied by a change from natural to human-created landscapes.
Urbanization has significant impacts on water systems, including increased surface runoff, reduced groundwater recharge, erosion, and sedimentation.
Sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) can help to mitigate these impacts and improve water quality in urban areas.
What are some effects deforestation has on the hydrological cycle
Deforestation reduces the number of trees, which affects the humidity levels in the atmosphere, thereby disrupting the transpiration process.
Deforestation leads to a decrease in rainfall, which affects the water cycle.
Deforestation reduces the amount of water available to maintain the water cycle, leading to changes in river flow and water volume.
Deforestation promotes decreased infiltration and higher amounts of runoff, leading to erosion and sedimentation in rivers and streams.
Deforestation raises temperatures, which can lead to droughts and water scarcity.
Deforestation has significant impacts on the hydrological cycle, leading to changes in rainfall patterns, river flow, and water volume, which can have negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human societies.
What are some effects Farming / Agriculture has on the hydrological cycle?
Leaving soil bare tends to increase surface runoff.
Using heavy machinery on land can lead to compaction of the soil.
This means that the soil pore spaces are smaller and so water doesn’t infiltrate as quickly. This then increases surface runoff.
Ocean circulation
the movement of water in the world’s oceans, driven by differences in temperature and salinity.
