Components Of The Drainage Basin

Question 1

What is interception?

Answer 1

Precipitation caught by vegetation and held there for a time.

Interception’s theme: Notorious B.I.G.’s mo vegetation, mo interception.

Question 2

What is infiltration?

Answer 2

Water enters the soil from the surface store

Question 3

What is surface runoff?

Answer 3

Water flows over the surface post-rainstorm due to saturation or the infiltration capacity is exceeded, or in impermeable urban areas.

Question 4

What is saturation?

Answer 4

When the soil store is full and no more water can fit into it

Question 5

What is infiltration capacity?

Answer 5

The maximum rate at which water can infiltrate into the soil.

Question 6

What is the soil store?

Answer 6

Water infiltrated is stored in soil until it is drained by through flow or percolation.

Question 7

What is through flow?

Answer 7

Water moving towards the river through soil

Question 8

What is percolation?

Answer 8

Water moving into the groundwater store from the soil layer.

Question 9

What is the groundwater store?

Answer 9

Permanent store of water in the bedrock/lower layers of the soil.

Question 10

What is the groundwater flow?

Answer 10

Water moving towards the river from the groundwater store.

Question 11

What is evapotranspiration?

Answer 11

Water changed into water vapour from stores on surface, vegetation and water vapour taken from plants into the atmosphere.

Question 12

What is a open system?

Answer 12

A system in which there are inputs and outputs of both energy AND matter across system boundaries.

Question 13

What are the inputs and outputs of the drainage basin system?

Answer 13

Water, heat and KPE

Discharge, sediment, Heat and KPE

Question 14

How can vegetation affect transfers and stores?

Answer 14

Thick vegetation = more interception more evaporation, less infiltration

Question 15

How does soil type affect stores and transfers?

Answer 15

Clay soils= smaller pores, greater number means less porosity and lower infiltration.
Sandy soils = bigger pores in smaller number, free draining soil and high infiltration
Loam soils= combo of sand silt and clay

Question 16

How do seasons affect transfers and stores of matter in a drainage basin?

Answer 16

Summer (warm)= more evaporation, hard baked soil reduces infiltration
Autumn (mild)= less leaves, less interception
Winter (cold)= frozen soils reduce infiltration

Question 17

How can urban areas affect transfers and stores of matter?

Answer 17

Less vegetation means less interception

Less infiltration due to impermeable surfaces

Question 18

How can relief affect stores and transfers of matter?

Answer 18

Steeper drainage basins, less infiltration meaning more surface runoff
In lowland areas more infiltration occurs and water remains in soil store for longer.

Question 19

How can rain intensity affect transfers and stores of matter?

Answer 19

During storms rain falls at faster rate than the soil infiltration capacity. Surface runoff occurs as a result.

Question 20

What is precipitation?

Answer 20

Precipitation is an input in water cycle. It is water ( can be different forms) falling from the clouds.