Hydrosphere

Question 1

What human impacts can affect the hydrological cycle

Answer 1

Deforestation, agriculture, urban development, global climate change

Question 2

What are the environmental effects of reservoirs

Answer 2

Can create new habitats but lose old one
Prevent migration of some species
River regime downstream of dams
Sedimentation
Microclimates

Question 3

What is Eutrophication

Answer 3

the excessive richness of nutrients which can cause excessive growth of plants

Question 4

Define Interception

Answer 4

precipitation that doesn’t reach the soil but instead is intercepted by leaves and branches

Question 5

Define infiltration

Answer 5

precipitation/water soaks into sub-surface and moves through cracks and pore spaces

Question 6

Define percolation

Answer 6

the process where rainfall seeps underground

Question 7

Define runoff

Answer 7

precipitation that did not get infiltrates or evaporated

Question 8

Define water table

Answer 8

the upper level of an underground surface in which the soil or rocks are permanently saturated with water

Question 9

define groundwater

Answer 9

water held underground in the soil, pores and rocks

Question 10

Abstraction

Answer 10

taking water from natural sources for a use

Question 11

Define screening

Answer 11

running water through a grill to remove more less dense solids

Question 12

Define aeration

Answer 12

putting air into the water to prevent anaerobic respiration

Question 13

define flocculation

Answer 13

chemical (allum) is added to create a neutral bond to allow particle (clay) to bond to it

Question 14

Filtration

Answer 14

Filtering the water through chalk or sand to remove any last impurities

Question 15

2 ways river regime downstream of dams may provide water

Answer 15

Regulate river flow

Keep habitats

Question 16

How is sedimentation important

Answer 16

fertilise floodplains, counteract erosion

Question 17

What is a microclimate

Answer 17

a large body of water may change the local climate

Question 18

What is an aquifer

Answer 18

a large body of rock that holds water which is exploited as a resource

Question 19

Define porosity

Answer 19

a measure of space in rocks that can hold water

Question 20

Define permeability

Answer 20

how easy it is for fluids to flow through the rocks

Question 21

Define associated geological structures

Answer 21

rock below must be impermeable to prevent escape of water

Question 22

What is aquifer recharge?

Answer 22

Where the water into the aquifer is greater than that leaving it

Question 23

5 ways aquifers can be overexploited

Answer 23

Changes in surface hydrology
Ecological impacts
Saltwater incursions
Subsidence
Reduced supplies

Question 24

How does NASA monitor aquifer depletion

Answer 24

GRACE satellites - their orbit is affected by gravity which is influenced by water mass

Question 25

define sterilisation

Answer 25

removing all the bacteria and microorganisms usually involves chlorine

Question 26

define pH adjustment

Answer 26

Adjusting the pH usually with lime to neutralise it

Question 27

define ion exchange

Answer 27

used in areas with hard water calcium and magnesium are removed and then replaced typically with sodium

Question 28

define service reservoir

Answer 28

water is stored when it is waiting to be used

Question 29

4 ways the demand for water can increase.

Answer 29

Increase in population
Increase in per-capita with increased affluence
Increased irrigation of farmland
Industrialisation

Question 30

What are the 3 features of aquifers?

Answer 30

Porosity, Permeability, Associated geological structures

Question 31

How can new sources of water be exploited?

Answer 31

Rainwater collection
Rivers
Reservoirs

Question 32

What are the 4 main features that affect the usefulness of a river?

Answer 32

Total annual water flow
Flow fluctuations
Level of natural contaminants
Pollutants from human activities

Question 33

What are the 8 factors affect reservoir site selection?

Answer 33

Topography
Geology
Catchment area
Water supply
Pollution risk
Sedimentation
Infrastructure
Existing land use and land conflicts

Question 34

What is an estuary barrage?

Answer 34

Freshwater reservoir created by building a dam across an estuary

Question 35

Why is saltwater not often used?

Answer 35

Desalination is very expensive and energy intensive

Question 36

How does river-regulation reservoirs work?

Answer 36

During dry seasons water is used to keep the flow rate the same and during the wet season the water is stored in the reservoir.

Question 37

What are inter-basin transfers?

Answer 37

Using canal and pipe systems to transfer water from area with surplus to areas with shortages.

Question 38

How does afforestation help?

Answer 38

Helps to reduce soil erosion

Reduces rate of flow into river which helps to reduce flooding

Question 39

What are 3 ways to reduce water usage?

Answer 39

Low water appliances
Xeriscaping
Low volume irrigation

Question 40

What are examples of water pollution control?

Answer 40

Oil pollution control
Sewage treatment
Acid mine drainage 
Control of heavy metal waste
Landfill leachate treatment
Buffer strips next to rivers to reduce fertiliser runoff

Question 41

2 ways water waste can be reduced?

Answer 41

Repairing leaking pipes (20% loss)

Use of water metres