AS The Hydrosphere

Question 1

Per capita

Answer 1

per person, total use divided by the population

Question 2

Human impacts on the water cycle

Answer 2

Deforestation, Agriculture, Urban development, Global Climate change, Abstraction (from rivers, reservoirs and aquifers)

Question 3

Impacts of the over abstraction of water from aquifers

Answer 3

subsidence, lowering of the water table, reduced supplies, loss of surface water features, saltwater incursion

Question 4

Water treatment Aeration

Answer 4

aeration of water to encourage aerobic bacteria which break down organic material (faecal matter)

Question 5

Monitoring water levels in an aquifer

Answer 5

water table in boreholes and wells, NASA GRACE satellites monitor gravity which is determined by mass of water underground.

Question 6

Aquifer

Answer 6

A rock which contains water that is abstracted by humans.

Question 7

Water treatment Desalination

Answer 7

the removal of dissolved salts from seawater to produce fresh/potable water

Question 8

Estuary barrage

Answer 8

a reservoir created by building a dam across an estuary, less land use conflicts, harmful to inter-tidal habits

Question 9

Water treatment Distillation

Answer 9

the removal of dissolved salts by heating or boiling and condensing and collecting steam

Question 10

Water treatment Filtration

Answer 10

another method of removing suspended solids and organic matter after sedimentation

Question 11

Water treatment Activated Carbon filters

Answer 11

used to remove (adsorb) organic chemicals such as pesticides

Question 12

Water treatment Fluoridation

Answer 12

Tertiary water treatment used in some areas to improve dental health

Question 13

Water treatment Ion Exchange

Answer 13

Used to remove toxic metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic, can also be used to remove calcium and magnesium from hard water.

Question 14

Water treatment Flocculation, coagulation and clarification

Answer 14

the addition of flocculants which remove the electrostatic charge on clay particles which then coagulate and form floc which then settles and can be removed

Question 15

Hydrology

Answer 15

The study and understanding of the movement, distribution and properties of water in the environment.

Question 16

Hydrosphere

Answer 16

All the water on Earth, found in solid, liquid or gaseous form in a variety of reservoirs, including the oceans, ice caps, rivers and lakes, soil, groundwater, atmosphere and living organisms.

Question 17

Inter-basin transfer

Answer 17

The movement of areas with surplus water to areas of shortage via canal or pipeline eg Wales to England

Question 18

Primary water treatment

Answer 18

the first stage of water treatment which includes sedimentation

Question 19

Water treatment Sedimentation

Answer 19

water remains static in pools, tanks or lagoons and suspended solids such as silt settle

Question 20

Features and structures required for the formation of an aquifer

Answer 20

porous and permeable rock to hold the water with impermeable rock below

Question 21

Aquifer recharge

Answer 21

the inflow of water via precipitation, infiltration and percolation through soil and rock to the aquifer.

Question 22

Residence time

Answer 22

the average time a water molecule will spend in a given reservoir of water, can range from hours to thousands of years depending on the reservoir.

Question 23

Water treatment Reverse osmosis

Answer 23

an energy intense method of removing dissolved salts by forcing saline water through a semipermeable membrane which separates the water molecules from salts

Question 24

Saltwater incursion

Answer 24

the flow of water from the sea into aquifers when the water levels in the aquifer drop to below sea level due to drought or over abstraction. Contamination with salt makes the water unsuitable for drinking and agriculture.

Question 25

Water treatment Screens

Answer 25

the removal of large items such at plastic bottles, wood and textiles using screens or grids

Question 26

Secondary water treatment

Answer 26

Water treatment to further reduce the amount of organic matter and suspended solids such as aeration tanks or trickling filter beds

Question 27

Subsidence

Answer 27

the sinking of the ground due to compaction of rocks and sediments where pores were once filled with water. Damages buildings, structures and pipelines.

Question 28

Tertiary water treatment

Answer 28

further water treatment for human consumption or discharge to environmentally sensitive areas includes the removal of pathogens using ozone, UV or chlorine and the removal of phosphates using iron (III) sulphate.

Question 29

Water Pretreatment

Answer 29

Water treatment prior to primary treatment that includes the use of screens, grids and grit traps

Question 30

Impacts of reservoirs and dams

Answer 30

large body of water creates microclimate, sedimentation in the reservoir (containing nutrients), lag of nutrients downstream, dam causes migration barrier, change in habitat - increase in freshwater habitat upstream, decrease downstream