EQ1

Question 1

Global water stores + total stored water

Answer 1

Hydrosphere (all of the water on the earths surface - rivers, sea) = 96.5%
Atmosphere (water stores in the air) = 0.001%
Cryosphere (frozen water) = 1.7%
Lithosphere (rocky outer layer of earths crust) = 1.7%

Question 2

Total global water

Answer 2

Accessible water to humans only exists on the hydrosphere
96.5% of that is ocean water

Question 3

Earths freshwater supply

Answer 3

Only makes up 2.5% of the earths total water store

Question 4

Surface water + other freshwater

Answer 4

Only 1.2% of earths freshwater supply - v small amount

Question 5

Accessible freshwater

Answer 5

Amount of this that is actually accessible = 1%

Question 6

Hydrological cycle: inputs, flows, fluxes, outputs

Answer 6

Fluxes (type of movement) = hydrological cycle: precipitation, surface run-off, evapotranspiration
Main input = HC = precipitation
Main output = HC = evaporation, transpiration, discharge

Question 7

Relief rainfall

Answer 7

Rainfall that occurs because of landscape shape/topography
Occurs due to the change in temp of the air that rises alongside = hill/mountain
Air cools + condenses as it moves up in the atmosphere + forms clouds + rainfall
Creates drier conditions = rain shadow

Question 8

Conventional rainfall

Answer 8

Usually occurs during = summer = UK when the sun heats the land
Creates rising pockets of warm air = convection currents
Warm air rises rapidly where it starts 2 cool + condense 2 form clouds
Clouds can be large cumulonimbus clouds
Clouds can produce heavy rainfall + thunderstorms

Question 9

Frontal rainfall

Answer 9

Occurs when a warm front meets a cold front. Heavier cold air sinks = ground + warm air rises above it
When warm air rises it cools
Cooler air condenses + forms clouds
Clouds bring heavy rain

Question 10

Flows seen = HC - 7 main categories

Answer 10

INTERCEPTION - through the retention of water by plants + soil
INFILTRATION - water soaking into plants + soil
PERCOLATION - deep transfer of water into bedrock
THROUGHFLOW - lateral transfer of water downslope
GROUNDWATER FLOW - v slow transfer of percolated water
SURFACE RUN-OFF - movement of water over land
RIVER/CHANNEL FLOW - water entering river/stream

Question 11

Physical factors that affect drainage basin

Answer 11

Climate
Soil
Geology
Relief
Vegetation

Question 12

Climate affecting DB

Answer 12

mainly impacts inputs/outputs
Changes the amount + type of precipitation + amount of evaporation

Question 13

Soil affecting DB

Answer 13

Affects the importance of different flows in the system -e.g, surface run-off

Question 14

Geology affecting DB

Answer 14

Affects surface run-off
Impacts percolation + groundwater flow rates
Affects soil formation

Question 15

Relief affecting DB

Answer 15

Affects surface run-off
Impacts the amount of precipitation
Slopes affect run-off

Question 16

Vegetation

Answer 16

Affects surface run-off
Presence of plants has major impact on interception, infiltration, transpiration

Question 17

Human factors affecting DB

Answer 17

River management
Deforestation
Changing land use (agriculture)
Changing land use (urbanisation)

Question 18

River management- DB

Answer 18

Construction of reservoirs
Use for domestic supply + irrigation of crops
All of this removes water from its natural place - disrupts the general flow of the HC

Question 19

Deforestation - DB

Answer 19

Reduced evapotranspiration but Inc infiltration + surface run-off
Less rainfall put into the atmosphere + potentially less rainfall over time
Soil has a surplus of water as there is no vegetation to absorb it

Question 20

Changing land use (agriculture) - DB

Answer 20

Arable to pastoral farming: compacts soil + Inc run-off
Pastoral to arable farming: ploughing Inc infiltration rates (loosening the soil allowing it to take more water in from precipitation)

Question 21

Changing land use (urbanisation) - DB

Answer 21

Tarmac, tiles, concrete = speed up surface run-off, Inc flooding
Impermeable surfaces means no absorption

Question 22

Example = human factors: Amazonia

Answer 22

Amazon basin contains the worlds largest area of tropical rainforest. Deforestation has disrupted the drainage basin cycle. Number of ways;
- lowering of humidity (less evapotranspiration taking place + less water vapour in the atmosphere)
- less precipitation
- more surface runoff + infiltration (compacting soil from removing trees)
- more soil erosion + slit being fed into rivers

Question 23

Water budgets

Answer 23

Annual balance b/ precipitation, evapotranspiration, run-off
Annual balance b/ inputs + outputs
Can be calculated globally/locally
Useful for calculating the amount of water available for human use + available soil water
Polar: low budget, low availability etc

Question 24

Water regimes

Answer 24

River regimes = annual variation in discharge/flow of a river at a particular point + usually measured in cumecs. Influenced by;
-size of the river + where discharge measurements are taken along it’s course
- amount seasonality + intensity of the precipitation
- temps with possible meltwater + high rates = evaporation in the summer
- geology + soils particularly their permeability + porosity: groundwater notes in permeable rocks is gradually released into the river = base flow
- type of vegetation cover: wetlands can hold water + release slowly into the river
- human activities aimed at regulating a river’s discharge

Question 25

The Amazon - rivers discharge

Answer 25

High flow Dec-May
Dry season Jun-Nov
Moderate variability in seasons
Human influence increasing w/ urbanisation + deforestation

Question 26

Alaska - rivers discharge

Answer 26

High flow apr-aug due 2 snowmelt
Low flow sep-mar as ice is forming
Large flow variability
Relatively few human influences