Keywords

Question 1

Acquifer

Answer 1

A permeable or porous rock which stores water

Question 2

Cryosphere

Answer 2

The global water volume locked up within a frozen state (i.e. snow and ice)

Question 3

desalination plant

Answer 3

The conversion of seawater to freshwater, suitable for human
consumption

Question 4

convectional precipitation

Answer 4

Solar radiation heats the air above the ground,
causing it to rise, cool & condense forming precipitation (often as thunderstorms)

Question 5

Desublimation

Answer 5

The change of state of water from gas to solid, without being a
liquid (the opposite process to sublimation)

Question 6

drainage basin

Answer 6

The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

Question 7

enso cycles

Answer 7

El Nino Southern Oscillations - naturally occurring phenomena that
involves the movement of warm water in the Equatorial Pacific.

Question 8

evapotranspiration

Answer 8

The combined total moisture transferred from the Earth to the
atmosphere, through evaporation and transpiration

Question 9

groundwater flow

Answer 9

Water moving horizontally through permeable or porous rock
due to Gravity

Question 10

global hydrological cycle

Answer 10

The continuous transfer of water between land,
atmosphere and oceans. The Earth is a closed system

Question 11

infiltration

Answer 11

The movement of water vertically through the pores in soil

Question 12

integrated drainage basin management

Answer 12

Establishing a frame of coordinated
efforts between administrations (e.g. local government) and stakeholders (e.g
businesses) to achieve balanced management of a basin (World Bank)

Question 13

interception

Answer 13

Raindrops are prevented from falling directly onto the ground, instead
hitting the leaves of a tree.

Question 14

meteorological drought

Answer 14

When long-term precipitation trends are below average

Question 15

percolation

Answer 15

Water moving vertically from soil into permeable rock

Question 16

river regime

Answer 16

The pattern of river discharge over a year

Question 17

runoff

Answer 17

Water flowing over the surface of the ground eg. after precipitation or snowmelt

Question 18

salinisation

Answer 18

Where salt water contaminates freshwater stores or soils, creating
saline conditions and reducing human use/ consumption.

Question 19

saltwater encroachment

Answer 19

The movement of saltwater into freshwater aquifers or
soils. This may be caused by sea level rise, storm surges or over-extraction

Question 20

smart irrigation

Answer 20

Providing crops with a water supply less than optimal, to make
crops resistant to water shortages.

Question 21

storm hydrograph

Answer 21

Variation of river discharge over a short period of time (days)

Question 22

water budget

Answer 22

The annual balance between inputs and outputs within a system

Question 23

water scarcity

Answer 23

There are limited renewable water sources (between 500 and 1000
cubic metres per capita per year)