EQ1 the global hydrological cycle

Question 1

Name an input to the global hydrological cycle

Answer 1

Precipitation

Question 2

Name the 5 storages of the global hydrological cycle

Answer 2

Groundwater storage 
Vegetation storage
Interception 
Channel storage 
Surface storage

Question 3

Give 5 flows of the global hydrological cycle

Answer 3

Infiltration 
channel flow
Percolation 
Surface run off
Groundwater flow

Question 4

Give 4 outputs of the global hydrological cycle

Answer 4

Evap.
Transpiration .
Evapotranspiration
River discharge

Question 5

Define a closed system?

Answer 5

No inputs occur from outside and nothing is lost, however in terms of the global hydrological cycle , water’s nature and form changes all the time

Question 6

What two processes drive the glob. Hydrological cycle?

Answer 6

• Solar energy (causing evaporation and trans)

- GPE (keeps water moving through the system in a sequence of inputs, outputs, stores and flows)

Question 7

Cryosphere loss-

Answer 7

Seasonal thaws increase surface saturation and thinning permafrost 1 if this thaw continues water flows away and is lost

Question 8

define global water budget?

Answer 8

the annual balance between precipitation, evapotranspiration and runoff

Question 9

give the uses for the global water budget

Answer 9

useful as a national or even a regional scale , provides a useful indication of the amount of water available for human use.

Question 10

Orographic rainfall

Answer 10

Warm moist air is forced up to rise over high areas- air cools condensed , forming clouds and rain, air
descends and warms

Question 11

Conventional rainfall

Answer 11

During periods of high temperatures - sun heats lad. And air above and warm air rises to cool and condense forming clouds = possibility of rain

Question 12

Frontal rainfall

Answer 12

Most rain in UK is frontal-
Formed as a part of a depression (low pressure area) when warm air meets colder polar air and its forced t I rise over the denser colder air - forming rain along both warm and cold fronts

Question 13

What is the global water budget

Answer 13

The differences between the inputs of water and outputs of water in any given area

Question 14

Residence time

Answer 14

Amount of time a water molecule will stay in a store

Question 15

define fossil water

Answer 15

untapped ancient stores of freshwater which exist in the polar regions and beneath deserts - technology now allows it to be accessed through aquifers

Question 16

what are annual fluxes

Answer 16

the water transferred globally by flows known as fluxes.

Question 17

what is the ITCZ

Answer 17

• the Inter-tropical convergence zone where strong convectional currents lift air so that it cools and condenses into clouds causing heavy rainstorms
• most of worlds rainfall is created by the ITCZ so this is the tropospheric rivers are the biggest flux

Question 18

blue water?

Answer 18

Blue Water: Freshwater stored in rivers, streams and lakes – the visible part of the hydrological cycle.

Question 19

green water

Answer 19

Green Water: Freshwater stored in the soil and vegetation – the invisible part of the hydrological cycle.

Question 20

residence time

Answer 20

Residence time: The average time a water molecule will spend in a store or reservoir.

Question 21

ground water abstraction

Answer 21

Ground Water Abstraction
In some places water is taken from aquifers at a rate higher than the replacement level. This causes reduced groundwater flow and a lower water tale.

Question 22

River regime?

Answer 22

The annual variation in the discharge or flow of a river at a particular point- measures in cumecs
Majority of flow is supplied by groundwater between periods of rain

Question 23

Simple regime

Answer 23

River experiences a period of seasonally Hugh discharge followed by low discharge - typical of rivers taht depend on glacial melt water or seasonal storms (monsoons)

Often in temperate climates with mountainous regions

Question 24

Complex regimes

Answer 24

Larger rivers cross several different relief and climates
and therefore experience the effects of different seasonal climatic events - this is true of rivers like the Mississippi or Ganges