Global Hydrological Cycle Flashcards
Global Hydrological cycle types of systems
closed system globally – no more water coming
open system on Earth – many reservoirs and linkages
most water in oceans, very little in atmosphere, life, groundwaters, freshwater
Linkages
evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, sublimation, movement of runoff
evaporation, condensation, precipitation
liquid –> water vapor
water vapor –> liquid water
precipitation = condensation under gravitational pull back down to earth
always occurring at any interface between liquid and atmosphere
Condensation rate
how much water is moving from a vapor to a liquid state over time
depends on how many water molecules are in the air at the time (vapor pressure)
removes energy
evaporation rate
how much water is moving from a liquid state to a vapor state over time
depends on the temperature of the liquid, the warmer the liquid, the faster the rate
when molecule has enough energy (temperature) to break free of chemical bonds within liquid
takes energy
vapor pressure
how many water molecules are in a parcel of air at any one moment
more VP, more water
molecules in the parcel of air
Relative Humidity
when rates of condensation and evaporation are equal, air is saturated at 100% RH
water will then condense in the atmosphere makes cloud and then precipitation
How clouds are formed
water vapor attaches to dust or something in atmosphere, as it rises in cloud becomes water droplet, more attaches to it and drops down as rain
Temperature effects on condensation and evaporation
ability of condensation to form because changes the size of parcel of air above a body of water (changes pressure)
changes rate of evaporation
Transpiration
conversion of liquid water to water vapor by plants
Sublimation and desublimation/deposition
movement of water molecules directly from a solid state to a vapor state
movement of water molecules directly from a vapor state to a solid state
directly to and from ice
Impacts of water
landforms, nutrients to ecosystems, biomes, transports heat energy globally, original evolution of life in
