Hydrosphere Flashcards
Physical environments P1
movement of water
The main input is precipitation (rain/snow/sleet/hail)
Rainwater can be intercepted by vegetation slowing down the movement of water
Water may be stored on the surface in lochs or frozen in glaciers
Water may move over the surface as surface runoff/overland flow
Water can infiltrate into the soil or percolate into permeable rocks below the soil.
Water could flow through the rocks as groundwater flow
Water can be stored in the rocks as groundwater storage
Water vapour can be evaporated due to heat from the sun
When water vapour is lost to the atmosphere from vegetation it is called transpiration
Water vapour in the atmosphere can condense into water moisture which will form clouds and when big enough, they produce precipitation
gentle rising limbs caused by…
Water being intercepted by vegetation
Water percolating into the soil
Water infiltrating into the soil
A little amount of rainfall
steep rising limb is caused by…
No vegetation to intercept rainfall
Impermeable rock resulting in overland flow
Soil reaching saturation level increasing surface runoff
steep recession limb is caused by…
Rainfall stopping
short lag time is caused by…
Few tributaries meaning water travels slower towards the river
A gently sloping drainage basin meaning water does not flow quickly
A large drainage basin meaning water takes longer to reach the river.
long lag time is caused by…
Many tributaries meaning water travels quicker towards the river
A steep sloping drainage basin meaning water flows quickly
A small drainage basin meaning water does not take as long to reach the river.
processes of erosion
Hydraulic Action is when the sheer force of the water enters cracks in the rock, compressing the air and forces pieces of rock to break off
Abrasion is when the rocks carried by river rub against the river bed and banks, wearing away the land
formation of vshaped valley
The land is eroded vertically by hydraulic action which is when the sheer force of the water enters cracks in the rock compressing the air and forces pieces of rock to break off.
Due to gravity the rocks fall into the river Below.
The sides are exposed to weathering
The rocks assist with the process of abrasion which is when rocks carried by the water scrape against the bank and beds wearing away the land.
formation of waterfall
The soft rock is eroded quicker than the hard rock by hydraulic action which is when the sheer force of the water enters cracks in the rock compressing the air and forces pieces of rock to break off.
The soft rock undercuts the hard rock resulting in an unsupported overhang of hard rock.
The overhang collapses and fall into the plunge pool below due to gravity
The rocks deepen the plunge pool by the process of abrasion which is when rocks carried by the water scrape against the bank and beds wearing away the land.
formation of meander
Water travels faster on the outside bend resulting in erosion by hydraulic action which is when the sheer force of the water enters cracks in the rock compressing the air and forces pieces of rock to break off.
The land is also eroded by the process of abrasion which is when rocks carried by the water scrape against the bank and beds wearing away the land. This forms a river cliff
The river travels slower on the inside bend resulting in deposition and the formation of a river beach.
formation of oxbow lake
Water travels faster on the outside bend resulting in erosion by hydraulic action which is when the sheer force of the water enters cracks in the rock compressing the air and forces pieces of rock to break off.This narrows the neck of the meader.
During a flood, the river may have the energy to cut through the neck of the meander
The land is also eroded by the process of abrasion which is when rocks carried by the water scrape against the bank and beds wearing away the land.
The river takes the straighter path and deposition seals the ox bow lake which has separated from the main river.
