Factors Driving the Change in Magnitude of Water Stores

Question 1

When does evaporation occur?

Answer 1

When energy from solar radiation hits the surface of the water or land and causes liquid water to change state to a gas.

Question 2

What 4 things does the rate of evaporation depend upon?

Answer 2

The amount of solar energy
Availability of water
Humidity of the air
Air temperature

Question 3

How does air humidity affect the rate of evaporation?

Answer 3

The closer the air is to the saturation point, the slower the rate of evaporation.

Question 4

How does the air temperature affect the rate of evaporation?

Answer 4

Warmer air can hold more water vapour

Question 5

How do all terrestrial plants lose water?

Answer 5

Through transpiration

Question 6

What can intercept rain as it falls?

Answer 6

Leaves

Question 7

Does evaporation use energy?

Answer 7

Yes

Question 8

What is energy used in the form of?

Answer 8

Latent heat

Question 9

Does evaporation warm or cool the surroundings?

Answer 9

It cools them as energy is used

Question 10

What is the dew point temperature?

Answer 10

The temperature at which the air becomes saturated.

Question 11

What happens at the dew point temperature?

Answer 11

Excess water in the air will condense

Question 12

What is needed for condensation to occur?

Answer 12

Condensation nuclei or surfaces that are below the dew point temperature.

Question 13

What is condensation nuclei?

Answer 13

Small particles

Question 14

Give an example of a form of condensation nuclei.

Answer 14

Dust, smoke, salt

Question 15

What happens if the condensation nuclei or surfaces are below freezing?

Answer 15

The water sublimates, changing from gas to solid in the form of hoar frost.

Question 16

What is condensation the direct cause of?

Answer 16

All forms of precipitation

Question 17

When does condensation occur?

Answer 17

When the air temperature is reduced to dew point but its volume remains constant.
Or when the volume of air increases but there is no addition of heat (adiabatic cooling).

Question 18

When does the air temperature reduce but the volume of air stay constant?

Answer 18

When warm, moist air passes over a cold surface.
On a clear winter’s night when heat is radiated out into space and the ground gets colder, cooling the air it is in direct contact with.

Question 19

When does adiabatic cooling take place?

Answer 19

When air rises and expands in the lower pressure of the upper atmosphere.

Question 20

When does air rise and expand in the lower pressure of the upper atmosphere?

Answer 20

As a result of:
The orographic effect (relief)
The frontal effect
The convectional effect

Question 21

What is the orographic effect?

Answer 21

Air is forced to rise over hills

Question 22

What is the frontal effect?

Answer 22

Masses of air at different temperatures and densities meet, the less dense warm air rises over the colder, denser air.

Question 23

What is the convectional effect?

Answer 23

Localised warm surfaces heat the air above. This expands, becomes less dense and rises.

Question 24

What is ablation?

Answer 24

Melting of ice

Question 25

When does permafrost occur?

Answer 25

When air temperatures are so low that they freeze any soil and groundwater present.

Question 26

Why does permafrost rarely occur under ice?

Answer 26

The temperatures are not low enough.