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geography the hydrological cycle > EQ1 5.1 HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE > Flashcards

EQ1 5.1 HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE Flashcards

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1
Q

precipitation (input)

A

moisture in any form

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2
Q

interception (storage)

A

temporary storage, as water is captured by plants, buildings and hard surfaces before reaching the soil

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3
Q

vegetation storage (storage)

A

any moisture taken up by vegetation and held within plants

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4
Q

surface storage (storage)

A

any surface water in lakes, ponds, puddles

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5
Q

soil moisture (storage)

A

water held within the soil

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6
Q

groundwater storage (storage)

A

water held within permeable rocks (also known as an aquifer)

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7
Q

channel storage (storage)

A

water held in rivers and streams

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8
Q

infiltration (flows and processes)

A

water entering the topsoil. most common during slow or steady rainfall

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9
Q

throughflow (flows and processes)

A

also known as inter-flow; water seeping laterally through soil below the surface, but above the water table

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10
Q

percolation (flows and processes)

A

the downward seepage of water through rock under gravity, especially on permeable rocks e.g. sandstone and chalk

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11
Q

stem flow (flows and processes)

A

water flowing down plant stems or drainpipes

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12
Q

base flow (flows and processes)

A

also known as groundwater flow. slow moving water that seeps into a river channel

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13
Q

channel flow (flows and processes)

A

the volume of water flowing within a river channel (also called discharge and run off)

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14
Q

surface runoff (flows and processes)

A

also called overland flow. flow over the surface during an intense storm, or when the ground is frozen, saturated or on impermeable clay.

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15
Q

evaporation (outputs)

A

the conversion of water to vapour

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16
Q

transpiration (outputs)

A

water taken up by plants and transpired onto the leaf surface

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17
Q

evapotranspiration (outputs)

A

the combined effect of evaporation and transpiration

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18
Q

river discharge (outputs)

A

the volume of water passing a certain point in the channel over a certain amount of time.

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19
Q

where is most of the worlds freshwater locked up

A

in the cryosphere

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20
Q

where is less than 0.4% of freshwater is contained

A

within surface lakes, rivers,atmosphere,biosphere

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21
Q

the balance of this is known as the global water budget

A

oceans lose more water through evaporation than they gain through precipitation, whereas the opposite is true for landmasses. surface run off makes up the distance- known as the balance

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22
Q

what does the ITCZ stand for

A

intertropical convergence zone (a wide belt of clouds within the tropics)

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23
Q

importance of the tropics

A

steep angle of the sun over tropical oceans allows intense solar radiation = high evaporation
trade winds transfer water vapour towards the ITCZ
there convectional currents lift air so that it cools and condenses into clouds causing heavy rainfall

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24
Q

where’s most the worlds rainfall created

A

ICTZ (the biggest flux transferring water from oceans to land)

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25
Q

what are huge atmospheric flows of moisture called

A

tropospheric rivers

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26
Q

how much of the earths freshwater is locked up in the cryosphere

A

2/3

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27
Q

what is the cryosphere

A

places where the temperature remains below freezing for much of the year, such as ice sheets and glaciers

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28
Q

what is happening because of the warming global climate

A

the global climate is warming, some of the frozen cryosphere water is released by melting to flow into the sea- adding to the closed hydrological cycle

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29
Q

the importance of the polar regions

A

the polar regions contribute the the circulation of water and the transfer of heat around the world which drive the global hydrological cycle. an ocean circulation occurs known as the thermohaline circulation - sometimes called the global conveyor belt

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30
Q

how does the thermohaline circulation work

A

ocean water in the polar regions is colder, more saline(salty) and denser than in tropics so it sinks
the cold sinking water draws in warmer water from the ocean surface which draws water across the surface from the tropics
the movement of water from the tropics draws cold water up from the ocean bottom to be warmed again

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31
Q

what is fossil water

A

untapped ancient stores of freshwater exist in the polar regions and beneath many deserts

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32
Q

examples of fossil water include

A

aquifers beneath Greenlands ice sheet and under the Kenyan desert

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33
Q

how many metres of freshwater does Kenyas lotikipi aquifer contain

A

200billion

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34
Q

what is the global hydrological system

A

a closed system

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35
Q

what does a closed system mean

A

the total amount of water in the hydrological system does not change

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36
Q

which two processes drive the hydrological system

A

solar energy and gravitational potential energy

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37
Q

how does solar energy drive the hydrological system

A

solar energy causes evaporation which leads to condensation and therefore precipitation

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38
Q

how does gravitational potential energy drive the hydrological system

A

gravitational potential energy keeps the water moving throughout the system

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39
Q

how much of the earths water is locked up in oceans

A

96.5%

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40
Q

how much of the earths water is locked up as freshwater

A

2.5%

41
Q

in oceans how is the vast majority of water stored

A

in liquid form - only a minute fraction stored as icebergs

42
Q

in the cryosphere how is the vast majority of water sstored

A

a solid state, with some in liquid form as melt water and lakes

43
Q

on land how is the vast majority of water stored

A

in rivers, streams,lakes and groundwater in liquid form . can also be stored in vegetation after interception or beneath the surface in the soil

44
Q

in the atmosphere how is the vast majority of water stored

A

water exists as vapour with the carrying capacity directly linked to temperature

45
Q

shifts in the worlds climactic zones mean that some stores are…

A

depleting e.g. polar ice and mountain glaciers without being replenished

46
Q

what happens in areas that are warming

A

ground surfaces dry out as evaporation increases. global air circulation then takes this extra vapour to the cooler areas where it condenses into clouds and precipitation

47
Q

polar hydrology

A 
freeze/thaw seasonal differences
85% solar radiation reflected
permarfrost-impermeable
limited vegetation
annual precipitation is less than 200mm
48
Q

tropical rainforest hydrology

A

few seasonal differences
dense vegetation consumes 75% of precipitation
limited surface infiltration
annual precipitation over 2000mm

49
Q

what is the water table

A

the boundary between water-saturated ground and unsaturated ground.

50
Q

why does an areas water table fluctuate

A

water seeps downward from the surface and a water table usually isn’t flat or horizontal. water tables often follow the topography of. upward and downward tilts of land above them.

51
Q

what factors are water tables influenced by

A

geology, weather, groundcover and landuse

52
Q

what is an aquifer

A

rocks containing groundwater that can be extracted

53
Q

what is a flux

A

the movement or transfer of water between stores

54
Q

what are the hydrological cycle stores

A

atmosphere, groundwater, biosphere,surface water, cryosphere, oceans

55
Q

what percentage of freshwater is in oceans

A

0%

56
Q

what percentage of freshwater is in icecaps

A

68.7%

57
Q

what percentage of freshwater is in rivers and lakes

A

1.2%

58
Q

hydrological system is made up of 3 systems

A

stores,fluxes,processes

59
Q

what happened in the last iceage

A

more water was held in the cryosphere in a solid form as snow or ice. as less was held in the ocean sea levels dropped over 140m lower than they are today

60
Q

oceans contain ..% of the worlds total water

A

96.7

61
Q

the cryospere contains ..% of the worlds total water

A

1.9%

62
Q

which is the smallest water store

A

the atmosphere

63
Q

major fluxes are driven by which key processes

A

precipitation,evaporation, cryospheric exchange and a runoff generation (both surface and groundwater)

64
Q

what are residence times

A

average time a watermolecule will spend in that resevoir or store.

65
Q

what is the residence time for groundwater

A

groundwater is deepseated and can spend over 10,000 years beneath the earths surface

66
Q

what is fossil water

A

ancient groundwater such as that found deep below the sahara desert (the result of former pluvial periods). not renewable or reachable for human use

67
Q

what has icecore dating suggested about the residence time of some water in the antarctic ice

A

the residence time is over 800,000 years

68
Q

water stored in soil (soil moisture) have short residence times of

A

2-50weeks because its spread very thinly across the earth

69
Q

soil moisture is is easily lost to other stores because of is accessibility by

A

evaporation,transpiration, groundwater flow or recharge

70
Q

what is the residence time for atmospheric water

A

10days

71
Q

what is the link between residence times and levels of water pollution

A

stores with a slower turnover tend to be more easily polluted as the water is in situ for a longer length of time

72
Q

only ..% of the earths water occurs as freshwater

A

2.5

73
Q

around ..% of earths water is locked up in snowflakes, icesheets, icecaps and glaciers

A

69

74
Q

..% of the earths freshwater occurs as groundwater

A

30%

75
Q

only ..% of freshwater is accessible for human use

A

1%

76
Q

what is currently the main source of surface water for humans

A

rivers

77
Q

rivers contribute only ..% of total water

A

0.007%

78
Q

what is being used widely to extend the availibility of freshwater supplies

A

desalination

79
Q

what do we mean when we talk about stores

A

When we talk about stores we include all water stored as either water vapour, ice, saline or freshwater.

80
Q

Examples of global stores of water include:

A

Oceans
Lakes
Aquifers (underground lakes)
The cryosphere (glaciers and ice sheets)

81
Q

Examples of local stores of water include:

A

Vegetation storage.
Surface storage.
Soil moisture.
Groundwater storage.

82
Q

Flows are how water moves from one store to another, examples include:

A 
Infiltration.
Throughflow.
Percolation.
Stem flow.
Base flow.
Channel flow.
Surface runoff.
83
Q

The following processes drive the flows between the stores:

A 
Precipitation.
Evaporation.
Transpiration.
Cryosphere (glaciers and ice sheets) exchanges.
Runoff.
84
Q

is the hydrological cycle a closed system

A

There is a fixed amount of water on the Earth. This is called a closed system because water cannot enter or leave the Earth and its atmosphere.

85
Q

how is water found on earth

A

as a gas called water vapour, as liquid water, and as solid ice.

86
Q

what % of earths water is in the oceans and seas

A

96.5%

87
Q

what % of earths water is in freshwater

A

2.5%

88
Q

what % of earths water is in other saline (salty) water sources

A

0.9%

89
Q

what is freshwater

A

water that isn’t salty

90
Q

what % of earths freshwater is in the cryosphere (glaciers, ice caps)

A

68.8%

91
Q

what % of earths freshwater is groundwater

A

30%

92
Q

what % of earths freshwater is surface water

A

1.2%

93
Q

what % of Earth’s surface water is in ground ice and permafrost.

A

69% of Earth’s surface water is in ground ice and permafrost.

94
Q

of Earth’s surface water is in lakes

A

20% of Earth’s surface water is in lakes.

95
Q

what % of Earth’s surface water is in soil moisture

A

3.8% of Earth’s surface water is in soil moisture.

96
Q

what % of Earth’s surface water is in the atmosphere.

A

3.0% of Earth’s surface water is in the atmosphere.

97
Q

what % of Earth’s surface water is in swamps and marshes.

A

2.6% of Earth’s surface water is in swamps and marshes.

98
Q

what % of Earth’s surface water is in rivers.

A

0.5% of Earth’s surface water is in rivers.

99
Q

what % of Earth’s surface water is in the biosphere (living things)

A

0.26% of Earth’s surface water is in the biosphere (living things).

geography the hydrological cycle (9 decks)

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