Key terms (water cycle)

Question 1

Atmospheric water

Answer 1

Water found in the atmosphere

Question 2

Cryospheric water

Answer 2

Water locked up on the Earth’s surface as ice.

Question 3

Hydrosphere

Answer 3

Discontinuous layer of water on or near the Earth’s surface.

Question 4

Terrestrial water

Answer 4

Consists of groundwater, soil, moisture, wetlands and rivers.

Question 5

Condensation

Answer 5

Process by which water vapour changes to liquid.

Question 6

Cryspheric processes

Answer 6

Processes that affect the total mass of ice on Earth.

Question 7

Drainage basin

Answer 7

Area of land drained by a river and its tributaries.

Question 8

Evaporation

Answer 8

Process by which liquid water changes to gas.

Question 9

Evapotranspiration

Answer 9

Total output of water from the drainage basin directly back into the atmosphere.

Question 10

Groundwater flow

Answer 10

Slow movement of water through underlying rocks.

Question 11

Infiltration

Answer 11

Downward movement of water from surface into soil.

Question 12

Interception storage

Answer 12

Precipitation that falls on vegetation surfaces, being temporarily stored on that surface.

Question 13

Overland flow

Answer 13

Tendency of water to flow horizontally across land surfaces when rainfall has exceeded infiltration capacity.

Question 14

Percolation

Answer 14

Downward movement of water within the rock under the soil surface.

Question 15

Run-off

Answer 15

Water that enters river channel.

Question 16

Saturated

Answer 16

applies to any water store that has reached capacity.

Question 17

Stemflow

Answer 17

Portion of precipitation intercepted by the canopy that reaches the ground by flowing down stems.

Question 18

Storm and rainfall event

Answer 18

Individual storm is defined as a rainfall period separated by dry intervals of at least 24 hours.

Question 19

Throughfall

Answer 19

Portion of precipitation that reaches the ground directly through gaps in vegetation.

Question 20

Throughflow

Answer 20

Movement of water down-slope through the subsoil under gravity.

Question 21

Transpiration

Answer 21

Loss of water from vegetation through pores.

Question 22

Water balance

Answer 22

Balance between inputs and outputs in a drainage basin.