Introduction to Hydrology Flashcards
What is Hydrology?
Hydrology is a branch of geography concerned with the origin, distribution and properties of the waters of the earth, in the atmosphere, on the surface of the
land, and underground. It is interrelated with earth sciences such as meteorology, oceanography and geology.
What does it imply that hydrology has random nature?
Their random nature does not allow the precision found in physics or chemistry, where selective experiments can produce clear, accurate results. Most of our knowledge of hydrology comes from empirical observations rather than physical principles. Data collection is vitally important; it is the foundation for all hydrological studies.
Describe the Hydrological cycle
Water is evaporated from oceans and land surfaces, and is transported to other locations, where it falls to the ground as precipitation (rain, snow, etc.).
It may then be absorbed into the earth, becoming soil moisture or groundwater, or it may flow over the land surface into rivers and lakes. Ultimately, both groundwater and surface runoff either returns to the ocean or is evaporated, thus completing the cycle.
Which are the parts of the hydrological cycle of water?
- Interception
- Depression Storage
- Infiltration
- Evaporation
- Surface runoff
Interception
the precipitation that is caught on leaves of trees and grasses,
and on other surfaces, and is eventually evaporated.
Depression Storage
the water retained in hollows and depressions in the
ground, which either evaporates or seeps slowly into the soil.
Infiltration
the entry of water into the soil due to gravity and capillary forces.
(Some of this water, termed soil moisture, is retained in the soil by capillary
action and molecular attraction to soil particles. Other water flows laterally
through the upper layers of the soil and emerges within a few hours as
springs or seepage - this is called interflow. The remainder, the groundwater,
percolates down to the water table, below which the soil is completely
saturated. It then flows laterally into streams and lakes, at a slower and more
uniform rate than surface runoff.)
Evaporation
which takes place in all parts of the cycle, from the falling
precipitation to the water in rivers and lakes. (Plants also transfer soil
moisture and groundwater to the atmosphere. They absorb water through
their roots, transporting it to their leaves, and evaporating it during
photosynthesis, in a process called transpiration.)
Surface runoff
which begins when the soil cannot absorb all of the
precipitation falling on it. (The surplus water first flows in sheets over
surfaces. It then runs into small channels that combine to form stream
systems conveying water to lakes, oceans or evaporation basins.)
Describe the Hydrochemical Cycle
