Changes in the magnitude of the water cycle stores Flashcards
How long does water remain in the river?
2-6 months
How long does water remain in the soil?
1-2 months
How long does water remain in the seasonal snow cover?
2-6 months
How long does water remain in the lakes?
50-100 years
How long does water remain in the deep groundwater?
10,000 years
How long does water remain in glaciers?
20-100 years
How long does water remain in shallow groundwater?
100-200 years
Define precipitation.
the transfer of water from the atmosphere to the ground. It can take the form of rain, snow, hail and drew
Define evaporation.
the transfer of water from a liquid state to a gas
Define condensation.
the transfer of water from a gas state to a liquid state, for example the formation of clouds
Define sublimation.
the transfer from a solid state to a gas state
Define interception in the water cycle.
when water is intercepted and stored on the leaves of plants
Define overland flow.
the transfer of water over the land surface
Define infiltration.
the transfer of water from the ground surface into soil where it may then percolate into underlying rocks
Define throughflow.
water flowing through soil towards a river channel
Define percolation
water soaking through rocks
Define groundwater flow
the transfer of water very slowly through rocks
When was the last ice age?
about 18,000 years ago
Why can there be heavy rainfall at the equator?
high temperatures result in high rates of evaporation, this leads to warm air rising which cools and condenses, forming clouds which leads to heavy rainfall in low pressure areas
Why is there a lot of cloud formation in the mud latitudes?
from the convergence of warm air from the Tropics and cold air from the Arctic
What is the name from the strong, upper-level winds?
the jet stream
What is the name of the cell near the equator?
Hadley cell
What is the name of the cell near the tropics (between 30 and 60 degrees)?
Ferrel cell
What is the name of the cells at the north and south poles?
Polar cell
