Hydrological cycle (yr1) Flashcards
aquifer
a water bearing stratum of permeable rock/sand/gravel that can absorb or hold water.
Desalination
a process that takes away mineral components from saline water
distillation
process of separation where the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation
dynamic equilibrium
a state of balance between continuing processes
estuary barrage
a barrage across a river at its estuary. gate opens and closes on rise and fall of a tide river
greywater
domestic waste water generated in households or office buildings from streams without fecal decontamination
ground water
water held underground in soil or porous rocks and crevices
groundwater flow
part of the stream flow that has unfiltered the ground
hydrological flow
water cycle
evaporation/transpiration -> condensation-> precipitation -> evaporation/transpiration
infiltration
permeation of a liquid into something else by filtration
inter basin transfer
man made water conveyance schemes that move water from one river basin to another to be utitlised better for human development
precipitation
condensed water that falls from the clouds
rainwater catchment
tech that collects and stores rainwater for human use
residence time
the time that a given substance remains in a particular compartment (reserve) of a biogeochemical cycle
reverse osmosis
a process by which a solvent passes through a porous membrane in the direction opposite to natural osmosis when subjected to a hydrostatic pressure greater than the osmotic pressure
surface runoff
flow of water that occurs when excess storm water, meltwater or other sources flow over the earth’s surface
suspended solids
small solid particles which remain in suspension in water as a colloid or due to motion of water
thermohaline circulation (THC)
general oceanic circulation controlled by horizontal differences in temperature and salinity
transpiration
the exhalation of water vapor through the stomata
turbidity
the quality of being cloudy, opaque or thick with suspended matter.
residence time equation
residence time = volume in reservoir/rate of transfer in or out of the reservoir
influence making river water suitable for abstraction
- river discharge (total water flow)
- flow fluctuations
- quality - pollutants
- natural contaminations
impacts of abstraction from rivers
- reduced water supply downstream
- reduced downstream flooding - reduces soil quality
- decreased water velocity
- increased sedimentation
- reduced volume of water concentrates pollutants
reservoirs
- large volume of water
- volume of water can be controlled through a dam (stops over abstraction)
- more constant water supply
problems with aquifers
- land conflicts between countries
- mass infrastructure
- climate changes/ microclimates
