Lesson 1 - Water Cycle Systems Flashcards
What is a system?
A system is a combination of interlinked components that are linked together to function as a whole.
What is a store?
A store is a naturally formed reservoir of water e.g., oceans, lakes etc.
What are inputs?
Inputs are flows of water into a store e.g., glaciers melting into the ocean
What are outputs?
Outputs are flows of water exiting the stores e.g. evaporation.
What is an open system?
A system where both energy and matter can enter and exit the system
What is a closed system?
A system where energy is transferred within in, no matter enters or exits.
What is the concept of mass balance?
A systems inputs must equalise its outputs. There may be transfers within the system but the overall amount of water will remain the same.
What is precipitation?
All forms of water falling from the sky like rain, snow, sleet, and hail.
What does solar energy provide?
Heat that powers processes like evaporation and transpiration.
Define evaporation.
When water changes from a liquid to a gas from surfaces like rivers, lakes, or soil.
What is transpiration?
When water is released as vapor from plants through their leaves.
What is evapotranspiration?
The combined effect of evaporation and transpiration.
What is runoff?
Water that flows over the land surface and eventually enters rivers.
Define river discharge.
Water that flows out of the drainage basin through rivers into the sea.
What is atmosphere storage?
Water stored as vapor in the air.
What is vegetation storage?
Water stored on leaves and plants after precipitation.
Define surface storage.
Water stored in lakes, ponds, puddles, and man-made reservoirs.
What is soil moisture?
Water held in the spaces between soil particles.
Define groundwater storage.
Water stored deep underground in rock layers called aquifers.
What is channel storage?
Water held in river channels and streams.
What is the cryosphere?
Water stored as ice and snow in glaciers, ice caps, and permafrost.
Define infiltration.
Water soaking from the surface into the soil.
What is percolation?
Water moving deeper from the soil into underground rock layers.
Define throughflow.
Water moving sideways through the soil towards rivers.
What is groundwater flow?
Water moving slowly through rock layers underground.
Define stemflow.
Water running down the stems or trunks of plants.
What is interception?
When vegetation catches and holds precipitation before it reaches the ground.
How do water stores change over time?
Through both human and physical factors. Naturally stores change in size seasonally. Humans can poorly manage stores which results in change of size. E.g., Aral Sea
What was the Aral Sea once known as?
The fourth largest inland lake in the world
What caused the drastic shrinkage of the Aral Sea since the 1960s?
Unsustainable irrigation practices
Which two main rivers were diverted to irrigate cotton fields?
Amu Darya and Syr Darya
What percentage of the Aral Sea’s water has disappeared due to irrigation practices?
Over 90%
What are some environmental impacts of the Aral Sea’s shrinkage?
Collapse of the fishing industry, health problems from toxic dust storms, loss of biodiversity
What efforts have been made to restore the North Aral Sea?
Construction of the Kok-Aral Dam
Which part of the Aral Sea continues to shrink due to ongoing water mismanagement?
The South Aral Sea in Uzbekistan
True or False: The Kok-Aral Dam has been successful in restoring the South Aral Sea.
False
Fill in the blank: The case of the Aral Sea highlights the dangers of poorly planned _______.
irrigation
What is emphasized as important due to the Aral Sea crisis?
Sustainable water use
How is the cryosphere affected in glacial and interglacial periods?
In glacial periods, accumulation is high and the cryosphere is enlarged. In interglacial periods, ablation is high and ocean stores are larger. Cyrosphere is much smaller.
How does anthropogenic climate change affect the cryosphere?
Anthropogenic climate change is causing the earths temperature to rise, this means that the cryosphere stores are melting causing sea levels to rise.
