Chapter 11 Flashcards by Nicholas Imperius

A model that describes the movement of water through reservoirs of the earth system

The Hydrologic Cycle (Water Cycle)

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The study of water

Hydrology

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Process by which water changes from liquid to vapour

Evaporation

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Process by which water taken by plants passes into the atmosphere

Transpiration

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Process of water changing from vapour to liquid/solid

Condensation

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Water condensed in the atmosphere makes its way back to the surface as rain, snow, or hail

Precipitation

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Ways that water can move through pathways

Evaporation, Transpiration, Condensation, Precipitation

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Precipitation that drains over the land or in stream channels

Surface Runoff

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Process of water working its way into the ground through small openings in the soil

Infiltration

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What is the largest reservoir in hydrosphere (holds 97.5% of Earth’s water

World Ocean

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74% of Earth’s fresh water is locked up in

Polar Ice Sheets

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98.5% of _____ lies underground

Unfrozen Freshwater

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As reservoir size increases, residence time ___

increases

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Residence times are several thousand years in what size reservoir

Large - Volume (Ice sheets, Ocean)

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Residence times are hundreds of years in what size reservoir

Groundwater System

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In Small reservoirs, ___ in rivers and streams, ___ in atmosphere, ___ living organisms

Weeks, Days, Hours

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Flowing water takes the shape of thin, broad sheets. Usually during high flow like heavy rain

Overland Flow (Sheet Flow)

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When Overland flows concentrate into well defined passageways

Streamflows

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Overland + Streamflow is ____

Surface Runoff

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Body of water that flows downslope along a clearly defined natural passageway

Stream

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Clearly defined natural passageway through which a stream flows

Channel

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Steepness of a channel

Gradient

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Amount of water passing by a point on a channel bank per unit time

Discharge

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Suspended and dissolved sediment carried by a stream

Load

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For a greater load to be carried, the gradient needs to be ___

Steep

If discharge increases,. velocity and depth of the channel will ___

Increase

When a channel increases width and depth as the water goes the banks and bottom, adds new sediment to the load

Scouring

Stream will bend or change when passing over ___ type of rock to ___ type of rock

Erosion-Resistant, Easily Eroded

Are channels straight?

They can be but not for long

inside of the bend in a stream, water slows down and drops sediment

Point Bar

As water goes around the bend, on the outside where water is flowing quicker, what does this create

Cutbank

Part of the steam where it empties to another surface water body

Mouth

Arise when streams load of sediment changes over time

Braided Channels

In a braided channel, if the discharge decreases but the load doesn't, this forms a __

Island

When meandering channels flow fast enough to erode a new, shorter path. Creates an __

Oxbow Lake

Form along channel margins, valley floors, mountain fronts or streams mouth

Stream Deposits

When a stream rises during flood, water overflows the streams bank and overrun the ___

floodplains

As water flows out of the channel, flow slows down and sediment deposits building up a small, low ridge of ___

Alluvium

Occur when a stream enters into a broad lowland valley and slows down depositing sediment creating a fan looking thing

Alluvial Fans

Formed when a stream enters a large body of water like an ocean or lake, over time sediment builds up

Deltas

A small, high-gradient stream that carries water downslope from the headwater region, combining their flow to form a larger stream

Tributary

Every stream is surrounded by a ___

Drainage Basin (Catchment or Watershed)

Greater Discharge per year = ___ drainage basin

Larger

Standing body of water with an open surface

Lake

Water enter lakes through __, ___, ___

Stream, Overland Flow, groundwater

Water exits lakes through ___ and sometimes ___

Evaporation, Flowing through outlet

All Freshwater lakes have outlets (T/F)

True

All Saline lakes have outlets (T/F)

False, some lack outlets and only lose water through precipitation

Created by construction of a dam, or wetland is drained to make it more accessible to us humans

Reservoir Lake

Caused by runoff of sewage or fertilizer into a lake (Occurs naturally in swamp formation)

Eutrophication

Crystal Faulting, Lava Flow blockage, Landslides all can form __

Lakes

Glacial Sand and Gravel contain natural pits and hollows from stagnant ice are what type of lake

Kettle Lake

Lakes last for a long time (T/F)

False, lakes are short lived

What are 2 ways lakes could disappear

1. Stream outlets gradually get deeper draining lake | 2. Inorganic Sediment is carried in, forming a wetland with little to no free space

Event where a body of water overflows it's banks

Flood

Extra water flowing through a channel during a stream flood contributed by excess precipitation is ___

Storm Runoff

Records the development of a flood, shows stream discharges as a unit of time

Hydrograph

Urban construction on compressible sediment, often accompanied by withdrawal of groundwater, increases danger of flooding

Subsidence

average time between two floods

Recurrence Interval

What systems are helpful to plan for evacuation or defensive measures

Geographic Information System

Modifying river channels for flood control

Channelization

To predict floods, scientists plot frequency of past floods of different sizes on a graph to produce a _____

Frequency Graph

___ is subsurface water contained in pore spaces in solids

Groundwater

_____ is transferring water from one drainage basin to another over long distances

Interbasin Transfer

Groundwater moves ____

Slowly

The zone above the water table which holds air and moisture

Vabose Zone (Zone of Aeration)

The top surface of the saturated zone is called the ___

Water Table

The zone that lies underneath the water table is called the ____

Phreatic Zone (Saturated Zone)

The water table is ___ beneath hills

High

____ is the amount of fluid a solid can contain

Porosity

Joints and Fractures ____ porosity

Increase

___ is how easy it is for fluids to flow through a solid

Permeability

The process of groundwater seeping downward and flows under the influence of gravity is called ____

Percolation

Water flows from ___ water table area to a ___ water table area

High, Low

Can water in the water table flow upwards? if so, how?

Yes, due to pressure built up beneath the water

____ is the replenishment of groundwater, occurs when rainfall and snowmelt infiltrate the surface and percolate down to the saturated zone

Recharge

The process by which subsurface water leaves the saturated zone and becomes surface water is called ____

Discharge

A(n) ___ is a natural outlet for groundwater that occurs where the water table intersects the land surface

Spring

A solid that is water saturated, porous and permeable is called an ____

Aquifer

What ___ aquifer has water that is free to rise to a natural level

Unconfined

The layer of impermeable rock that lies above an unconfined aquifer is called a(n) ____

Aquiclude

A ____ is drilled into an aquifer in a high pressure zone from elevation and will have water flow through it or even out of it

Artesian Well

A ____ can be a natural conduit for an artesian well

Fault

When water is pumped from a well, a ______ is formed

Cone of Depression

When lots of water is pumped from a well, what shape does the cone of depression take

Very wide and steep

____ is when the rate of withdrawal exceeds the rate of recharge and decreases the amount of stored water over time

Groundwater mining

___ is when mineral gains collapse on each other because the pore water that held them together is gone

Compaction

___ are formed when circulating groundwater at or below the water table dissolves carbonated rock

Caves

____ hang from the ceiling in caves

Stalactites

___ project up from the ground in caves

Stalagmites

In saturated zone below the water table, water movement is generally ____ creating tubular passageways

Horizontal

___ are a cavity that is open upwards to the sky

Sinkholes

____ is a complex landscape characterized by many small closed basins, sinkholes, cave openings, and disrupted drainage patterns

Karst Topography