Hydrological Cycle - Know Your Key Terms

Question 1

Precipitation

Answer 1

Moisture in any form

Question 2

Interception

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Vegetation storage

Answer 3

Any moisture taken up by vegetation and held within plants

Question 4

Surface storage

Answer 4

Any surface water in lakes, ponds, puddles

Question 5

Soil moisture

Answer 5

water held within the soil

Question 6

Groundwater storage

Answer 6

water held within permeable rocks [also known as an aquifer]

Question 7

Channel storage

Answer 7

water held within rivers and streams

Question 8

Infiltration

Answer 8

Water entering the topsoil. Most common during slow and steady rainfall.

Question 9

Through flow

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Percolation

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Stem flow

Answer 11

Water flowing down plant stems or drain pipes

Question 12

Base flow

Answer 12

Also known as groundwater flow. Slow moving water that seeps into the river channel

Question 13

Surface runoff

Answer 13

Also known as overland flow. Flow over the surface during an intense storm, or when the ground is frozen, saturated or on impermeable clay

Question 14

Evaporation

Answer 14

The conversion of water to vapour

Question 15

Transpiration

Answer 15

Water taken by plants and transpired onto the leaf surface

Question 16

Evapotranspiration

Answer 16

The combined effect of evaporation and transpiration

Question 17

River discharge

Answer 17

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