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Environmental Studies > Chapter 8 - The Hydrosphere > Flashcards

Chapter 8 - The Hydrosphere Flashcards

0
Q

Define: Hydrogen Bond

A

The weak electrostatic bond formed between water molecules, which gives water a high boiling point.

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1
Q

Define: Evaporation

A

The change of water from liquid to gas as hydrogen bonds are broken.

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2
Q

Define: Anomalous Expansion

A

Unusual expansion, usually applied to water, which expands as it is cooled below 4 degrees.

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3
Q

Define: Residence Time

A

The average length of time that a molecule remains in a reservoir.

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4
Q

Define: Aquifer

A

An underground rock structure from which water is abstracted.

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5
Q

Define: Reservoir

A

The general name for a storage location for any material. The term is also used for the stored water retained by a dam.

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6
Q

Define: Transfer Rate

A

The volume of material moved from one reservoir to another.

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7
Q

Define: Precipitation

A

Condensation of atmospheric water vapour that reaches the Earth’s surface in any liquid or solid form.

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8
Q

Define: Throughflow

A

The sideways movement of water in ground.

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9
Q

Define: Interception

A

Precipitation that does not reach the ground because it lands on vegetation.

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10
Q

Define: Infiltration

A

The process by which surface water enters the ground between the particles of soil or rock.

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11
Q

Define: Percolation

A

The movement of water between the particles of soil or rock.

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12
Q

Define: Groundwater Flow

A

The movement of water through the pore spaces and fissures in permeable rocks.

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13
Q

Define: River Channel Discharge

A

The volume of water flowing past a particular point on a river and is a product of cross sectional area and mean water velocity.

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14
Q

Define: Abstraction

A

The removal of water from the location where it was found.

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15
Q

Define: Irrigation

A

Artificial watering of plants, especially crops.

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16
Q

Define: Potable

A

Water that is stable for drinking.

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17
Q

Define: TSS

A

Total Suspended Solids. The total amount of organic and inorganic material suspended in a volume of water.

18
Q

Define: Pathogen

A

An organism that causes disease.

19
Q

Define: Coliform Count

A

A measure of sewage pollution based in the presence of the faecal bacterium.

20
Q

Define: Catchment Area

A

The area of land that collects water, which will flow down to the lowest point.

21
Q

Define: Anaerobic

A

A process or organism that does not require oxygen.

22
Q

Define: Topography

A

The 3D shape of the landscape.

23
Q

Define: Porosity

A

A measure of the percentage of the volume of a rock that is space.

24
Q

Define: Permeability

A

A measure of the rate at which a fluid, such as water, can flow through rock.

25
Q

Define: Subsidence

A

The collapse of the ground surface caused by undermining or a reduction in aquifer rock volume following the over-abstraction of water.

26
Q

Define: Osmotic Dehydration

A

The loss of water, especially from crop roots, caused by low water potential of soils with a high salt content.

27
Q

Define: Osmosis

A

The diffusion of water through a partially permeable membrane from an area of high water potential to an area of low water potential.

28
Q

What are the unusual properties of water?

A
  • Changes of state (narrow temperature range)
  • Anomalous expansion (floating solid ice, unaffected deep water)
  • Solvent properties (biological reactions occur with solutes dissolved in water)
  • High heat capacity (maintain climatic stability)
29
Q

What are the main stages of the hydrological cycle?

A
  • Evaporation
  • Condensation
  • Precipitation
  • Groundwater Flow
  • Transpiration
  • Evapotranspiration
  • Interception
  • Surface Runoff
  • Percolation (Throughflow)
  • Transport
30
Q

What are the inputs of the hydrological cycle and how are they impacted by humans?

A
  • Precipitation (rain, hail, sleet, snow)

> Temperature impacts e.g. global climate change

31
Q

What are the throughflows of the hydrological cycle and how are they impacted by humans?

A
  • Interception (precipitation landed on vegetation)
    > Deforestation, afforestation, urbanisation
  • Infiltration (water flow through ground surface)
    > Soil compaction, urbanisation, paved areas
  • Percolation (water flow through spaces in soil/rock)
    > Soil compaction
  • Groundwater Flow (water movement through rock pore spaces)
    > Groundwater abstraction, artificial aquifer recharge
  • Runoff (water flow over ground surface)
    > Reduced infiltration/interception
32
Q

What are the outputs of the hydrological cycle and how are they impacted by humans?

A
  • Evaporation (liquid water to water vapour)
    > Reservoirs, global climate change
  • Transpiration (water vapour loss from plants)
    > Vegetation changes
  • River Channel Discharge (water carried by river)
    > Abstraction of water, flood drainage
33
Q

What are the abstractive uses of water?

A
  • Domestic uses (washing, flushing toilets, drinking)
  • Industrial uses (cooling, steam generation, heating)
  • Agricultural uses (irrigation, livestock drinking)
  • Water quality requirements
    > Turbidity (removal of suspended solids)
    > pH (pH 6.5 - 8.5)
    > Calcium content (reduce tooth decay, osteoporosis)
    > Pesticide concentration (remove pesticides)
    > Heavy metal concentrations (could damage nervous system)
    > Dissolved O2 (affects smell of water)
    > Chlorine retention (sterility)
    > E. Coli abundance (cholera and typhoid)
34
Q

What are the non-abstractive uses of water?

A
  • Energy (HEP schemes, nuclear power stations)
  • Transport (ships)
  • Recreation (sailing, canoeing, swimming)
  • Wildlife Conservation (wetlands)
35
Q

What factors affect the location of a reservoir?

A
  • Topography (narrow exit, large deep basin)
  • Geology (strong impermeable rock, percolation)
  • Catchment Area (flowing fallen rain)
  • Water Supply (Large regularly rainfall)
  • Existing Land Use (unimportant land)
  • Pollution Risk (no pollution risk to water)
  • Sedimentation (less soil erosion in catchment area)
  • Infrastructure (building dam, treating and transporting water)
  • Estuarine Barrages (dam creates freshwater lake)
36
Q

What are the environmental effects of a reservoir?

A
  • Habitat Change (flooding destroys old habitat, creates new one)
  • River Flow Changes (flow fluctuations change erosion/sedimentation)
  • Sedimentation (sediments settle in reservoir, riverbanks prevented)
  • Reservoir Microclimate (local climate changed, temperature fluctuations)
37
Q

What are the main features of an aquifer?

A
  • Porosity (proportion of rock’s volume that can hold water)
    > e.g. chalk, limestone and sandstone
  • Permeability (rate of water flowing through rock)
  • Suitable Geological Structures
    > Impermeable rock below water-bearing rock
    > e.g. clay and granite
    > Permeable rock above to allow recharge
    > Abstracted through well, borehole or naturally
38
Q

What are the consequences of aquifer overuse?

A
  • Reduced Supplies (extraction rate exceeds recharge rate)
  • Subsidence (collapse of ground surface, building damage)
  • Changes in Surface Hydrology (lowered water table, dry wetlands)
  • Ecological Impacts (food webs affected, plants dying)
  • Saltwater Incursion (seawater replacing aquifer freshwater)
39
Q

What are the stages of freshwater treatment and their purpose?

A

1) Screens (remove floating vegetation/plastic that could clog processes)
2) Sedimentation (static water to allow suspended solids to settle)
3) Aeration (ensure high dissolved oxygen content, smell good water)
4) Flocculation/Coagulation (particles combine then settle)
5) Filtration (remove remaining solids and bacteria)
6) Activated Carbon Filters (remove organic chemicals)
7) Sterilisation (sterilise water and kill pathogens with chlorine/ozone/UV)
8) Fluoridation (fluorides improve dental health)

40
Q

What are the two types of seawater treatment processes?

A

1) Reverse Osmosis (saline water filtered through semi permeable membrane at high pressure)
2) Distillation (water boiled, steam condensed and collected)

41
Q

What are the factors that cause the demand for water to change?

A
  • Change in Population Size (birth rate higher than death rate or high immigration rate)
  • Change in Living Standards (high domestic appliance usage, link between affluence and water consumption)
  • Industrialisation
    > Subsistence farming uses water naturally available
    > Heavy industries use large volumes of water
  • Changes in Attitude to Water Use (personally collecting water, carefully consuming it)
42
Q

How can water be conserved and managed more effectively?

A
  • Increasing Water Availability
    > Increased Abstraction (building storage reservoirs)
    > Catchment Management
    > Reservoirs maintain river water levels and store water
    > Pollution prevention upstream of water abstraction points
    > Aquifer Recharge (recharge during periods of surplus surface water)
  • Better Water Distribution
    > Reducing Distribution Losses (prevent pipe leaks)
    > Inter-basin Transfer (water transferred by rivers and pipes)
  • More Efficient Water Use
    > Metering (charged for amount of water used with meter)
    > Low Water-use Appliances (dual flush designed toilets)
    > Grey Water Use (recycling previously used water)

Environmental Studies (11 decks)

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