Lesson 1 - Global Hydrological Cycle Flashcards
List 5 examples of stores
Groundwater
Ocean
Rivers + Lakes
Dams + Reservoirs
Ice + Permafrost
Soil moisture
Vegetation
Atmosphere
List 5 examples of fluxes
Groundwater flow
Ocean evaporation
Ocean Precipitation
Land precipitation
Percolation
Evaporation
Transpiration
Surface flow
What are the 2 types of system?
Open
Closed
Explain each type of system
Open - Receives inputs + outputs of energy + matter
Closed - Energy transfer but no external in/outputs
What type of system is the Global Hydrological Cycle (GHC) + which forms of energy does it involve?
Closed System
Solar + Gravitational potential energy
How does solar energy influence the GHC?
Accelerates evaporation
Evapotranspiration from plants
Humid air rises, forms clouds, rain etc.
How does gravitational potential energy influence the GHC?
Converted to kinetic energy as water moves through system by interception, percolation, surface runoff etc.
What are the 4 largest water stores?
Oceans
Cryosphere
Terrestrial Surface Water
Atmosphere
What % of global water is occupied by the oceans?
96.5 - 97%
Arrange the 4 main stores in order of residence time
Cryosphere (15,000 years)
Oceans (3600 years)
Terrestrial Surface Water (1-200 years)
Atmosphere (10 days)
In exceptional cases, how long can terrestrial ground water exist as a store?
10,000 years
What are the respective residence times for rivers + lakes and soils?
R + L - 2 weeks to 10 years
Soils - 2-50 weeks
Why do rivers, lakes and soils have much shorter residence times?
Accessibility
Easily lost + transferred by fluxes
Why do atmospheric conditions have the shortest residence times?
Water condenses + falls to Earth as precipitation
Where is roughly 69% of global freshwater found?
Snowflakes, ice caps, ice sheets + glaciers
