KEY WORDS

Question 1

PRECIPITATION

Answer 1

includes all forms of rainfall, snow, hail

Question 2

Interception

Answer 2

percipitation that is collected by vegetation and stored by them- intercepted before it reaches the ground

Question 3

stem flow

Answer 3

this is water flowing off the leaves and stems of trucks- usually seen after prolonged rainfall

Question 4

infiltration

Answer 4

the movement of water into the soils surface- the rate depends upon permeability sand porosity of the ground. Also the pre saturation levels (infiltration capacity)

Question 5

percolation

Answer 5

the movement of water into the soil

Question 6

water table

Answer 6

the upper layer of water stored into the ground

Question 7

ground water

Answer 7

water stored in underground rocks (bedrock)- this is a very slow process . Aquifers are stores of groundwater which fell as rainfall many years ago

Question 8

Transpiration

Answer 8

water loss from vegetation into the atmosphere

Question 9

evapotranspiration

Answer 9

water loss from combined vegetation and the subsurface soil - leaves, puddles, streams - the rate of this is dependant upon the temperature and humidity and the speed gf the wind

Question 10

soil moisture storage

Answer 10

the water found in the subsurface of the soil

Question 11

surface runoff/ overland flow

Answer 11

the movement of water above the ground - this is a quick process when the ground is too saturated/ impermeable surface.

Question 12

groundwater flow

Answer 12

the movement of groundwater underground

Question 13

throughflow

Answer 13

when water moves horizontally through the ground (waster than groundwater flow but slower than overland flow)

Question 14

the drainage basin

Answer 14

areas of land drained by a river and its tributaries

Question 15

porosity

Answer 15

gaps between particles e.g. sand has many gaps between grains making it pours- if proud and not permuable- it acts as a store. (aquifers)

Question 16

permeability

Answer 16

the ‘link’ between the pores- sandy soils are permeable - clay is impermeable .

Question 17

actual evapotranspiraton

Answer 17

the amount of water that leaves the drainage basin going back Into the atmosphere

Question 18

potential evapotanspiration

Answer 18

the amount of water that could go back into the atmosphere if an unlimited amount of soil moisture was available. for example a desert has high potential evapotranspiration but low actual due to the water supply.

Question 19

watershed

Answer 19

an area or ridge of land that separates 2 basins

Question 20

discharge

Answer 20

the total volume of water flowing through a channel at any given time

Question 21

recharge

Answer 21

the replenishment of water from an aquifer after used

Question 22

lag time

Answer 22

the time between peak discharge and peak rainfall

Question 23

rising limb

Answer 23

refers to an increase in discharge in an area, in response to a rainfall event

Question 24

falling limb

Answer 24

withdrawal of water from the storage built up in the basin

Question 25

velocity

Answer 25

the speed at which the river is flowing at