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A Level Geography > carbon and water cycle > Flashcards

carbon and water cycle Flashcards

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1
Q

evaporation definition

A

when liquid turns to gas and therefore increasing the amount of water in the atmosphere. this variation due to location and season. evaporation is high when there is high solar radiation, large supply of water and warm dry air

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2
Q

condensation

A

when water vapour turns back into a liquid. this releases energy into surroundings and can decrease water stored in the atmosphere. condensation is high when there is lots of water vapour in the atmosphere and a large rapid drop in temperature

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3
Q

cloud formation

A

clouds form when warm air cools down and can be formed due to air masses, topography, and convection

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4
Q

cryospheric processes

A

accumulation and ablation (changes) changes the amount of water stored as ice and varies with temperature. variations in processes happen over different timescales

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5
Q

river discharge

A

the volume of water (m3) that flows in a river per second

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6
Q

what do hydrographs show

A

show discharge over time and are used after storms over short periods of time. they vary on factors such as size of drainage basin, shape of basin, ground steepness, rock and soil type

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7
Q

flashy hydrographs

A

there is a short lag time and peak discharge is reached quickly after a storm

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8
Q

non-flashy hydrograph

A

where it takes a longer time to reach the river channel

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9
Q

why do storms change the water cycle over time

A

increase precipitation, increasing runoff

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10
Q

why do seasons change the water cycle over time

A

dryer in summer and freezing in winter can affect flows

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11
Q

why does vegetation change the water cycle over time

A

leads to increased evapotranspiration and reduced runoff

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12
Q

why does farming change the water cycle over time

A

ploughing breaks up surface increasing infiltration, crops, livestock trample the ground and reduce infiltration, irrigation can increase runoff and reduce groundwater

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13
Q

why do land use changes, change the water cycle over time

A

deforestation reduces interception and urbanisation increases the size of impermeable surfaces, increasing runoff

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14
Q

why does land drainage change the water cycle over time

A

peatlands can be drained which changes infiltration and evaporation. this also has large impacts on the carbon cycle

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15
Q

lithosphere

A

a store of water in land. 30% of all freshwater is stored in rocks (eg chalk and sandstone) below the ground surface. forming vast underground reservoirs called aquifers. water can stay for 200 years in shallow aquifers or 10 000 years if deep

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16
Q

hydrosphere

A

a store of water as liquid water on the surface of earth. oceans cover 72% of the earths surface and holds 97% of water

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17
Q

cryosphere

A

a store of water as frozen water on earth. 2% of water locked up in land ice, glaciers and permafrost. water can be locked up in ice for 100s of years

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18
Q

atmosphere

A

a store of water in the air. water exists in all3 states in the atmosphere, the most common being water vapour, which absorbs reflects and scatters the suns radiation. cloud is visible mass of water droplets which all grow and eventually fall as rain

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18
Q

atmosphere

A

a store of water in the air. water exists in all3 states in the atmosphere, the most common being water vapour, which absorbs reflects and scatters the suns radiation. cloud is visible mass of water droplets which all grow and eventually fall as rain

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19
Q

precipitation definition

A

transfer of water from the atmosphere to the ground

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20
Q

water balance

A

the relationship between precipitation, runoff, evapotranspiration and storage

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21
Q

evapotranspiration, condensation and sublimation

A

transfer of water from liquid to gas/ gas to liquid and either solid or gas or vice versa

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22
Q

interception

A

water intercepted and stored in plants

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23
Q

overland/ through/ groundwater flow

A

transfer of water

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24
Q

infiltration/ percolation

A

transfer from the ground surface into soil/rocks

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25
Q

infiltration/ percolation

A

transfer from the ground surface into soil/rocks

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26
Q

the water cycle as a system

A

a closed system as there are no inputs or outputs.

27
Q

the hydrological cycle occuring in a drainage basin as a system

A

an open system. inputs= precipitation. outputs= runoff, evapotranspiration. state of dynamic equilibrium

28
Q

water balance equation

A

P=O+E+/-S (P-precipitation, O-runoff, E-evapotranspiration, S-storage)

29
Q

carbon sink

A

store that absorbs more carbon than it releases

30
Q

carbon source

A

releases more carbon than it absorbs

31
Q

vegetation succesion

A

sequence of development and changes in plant community

32
Q

sere

A

succession that relates to a specific environment

33
Q

photosynthesis

A

process by which plants use the suns energy to produce glucose

34
Q

respiration

A

process that happens to convert glucose into energy

35
Q

decomposition

A

decomposers such as bacteria/ fungi consume dead organisms

36
Q

combustion

A

when organic material is burned releasing CO2 and water

37
Q

burial and compaction

A

organic matter is buried by sediments and compacted

38
Q

sequestration

A

when carbon is captured and held in long term storage

39
Q

weathering

A

breakdown or decay of rocks in situ or close to surface. physical or chemical

40
Q

carbon budget

A

describes amount of carbon that is stored or transferred. the difference between the inputs of carbon into a subsystem and outputs from it

41
Q

ocean uptake

A

atmosphere to hydrosphere as CO2 is directly dissolved into water or taken up by organisms (eg plankton)

42
Q

ocean loss

A

hydrosphere to the atmosphere when carbon rich water from deep ocean rises to the surface and releases CO2

43
Q

feedback

A

return or knock on effect that usually leads to a change in the effectiveness of one or more processes

44
Q

positive feedback

A

enhances the outcome leading to instability

45
Q

negative feedback

A

works against the outcome leading to stability

46
Q

carbon capture and storage (CCS)

A

uses technology to capture carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power stations industry. once captured the gas is compressed and then injected as a liquid underground into suitable geological reservoirs.

47
Q

how much could ccs cut global emissions by

A

19%

48
Q

soil organic carbon

A

organic matter in a soil (usually around 2-10% of soil)

49
Q

carbon farming

A

where one type of crop is replaced by another that has a greater productivity

50
Q

revegetation

A

replanting and rebuilding soil on disturbed land

51
Q

irrigation

A

process of applying controlled amounts of water to plants

52
Q

mulching

A

applying a layer of material over soil to prevent carbon loss and add organic matter to the soil

53
Q

reduced/ no tillage

A

reduced ploughing avoids decomposition of organic matter and depletion of soil carbon

54
Q

links between water and carbon

A
  • carbon combines with water in the atmosphere allowing chemical weathering which removes carbon from the atm
  • water is needed for photosynthesis which removes carbon from the atmosphere
    -the amount of CO2 in the atm affects global temps which affects the amount of evaporation that can take place which affects the amount of precipititation
55
Q

If all glaciers and ice caps were to melt how much would sea levels increase

A

60 metres

56
Q

Farming practices on water cycle

A

Ploughing breaks soil= increased infiltration
Arable farms= increase interception/evapotran
Pastoral = compacts soil= less infil= more runoff
Irrigation= reduces discharge of a river

57
Q

Land use change in the water cycle

A

Deforestation= Less interception/ evapotran but infiltration increase
Construction= reduces infiltration/ evapotran but increases runoff

58
Q

Water abstraction in the water cycle

A

Increases in dry seasons (needed for irrigation)
Abstract from aquifers - need often higher than inputs into aquifer so leads to a decline in global long term water sources

59
Q

Natural processes that lead to flashy hydrographs

A

-High rainfall intensity
- antecedent rainfall
- impermeable geology
- high drainage density
- small basin
- circular basin
- low temps
- type of precipitation
- vegetation cover

60
Q

Human impacts that lead to flashy hydrograph

A
  • urbanisation ( impermeable surfaces)
  • pastoral farming
  • deforestation
61
Q

Diffusion in carbon cycle

A

Oceans absorb co2 from atmosphere, this has increased ocean acidity by 30 % since pre-industrial times. Ocean is biggest carbon store. Coral bleaching is now occurring

62
Q

Carbon sequestration

A

Transfer of carbon from atmosphere to other stores and can be both natural and artificial. Plants do it through photosynthesis. Factories do it as a form of carbon capture where co2 is captured and transported via pipeline to depleted gas fields and saline aquifers

63
Q

Advantages of carbon sequestration

A
  • fitted to existing coal power stations
  • captures 90% of co2 produced
  • potention to capture half of worlds co2 emissions
64
Q

Disadvantages to carbon sequestration

A
  • high cost
  • increased demand of power stations
  • no space
    -can sometimes cause oil to be pushed out the ground further increasing fossil fuel usage

A Level Geography (9 decks)

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