People And The Natural World Interactions - Terminology (2)

Question 0

Hydrological cycle

Answer 0

The continuous transfer and storage of water in the environment

Question 1

Hydrosphere

Answer 1

The water part of the global system

Question 2

River/stream

Answer 2

The transfer, temporary store, or water as it drains a catchment area

Question 3

Catchment area/drainage basin

Answer 3

A clearly defined area that a river and its network of streams collects its water from/drains

Question 4

Tributary

Answer 4

A small river or stream that drains onto a larger one

Question 5

Watershed

Answer 5

The boundary of a catchment area

Question 6

Water table

Answer 6

The surface of the saturated soil and bedrock underground

Question 7

Groundwater

Answer 7

The water held below the surface of the land

Question 8

Discharge/runoff

Answer 8

Water transferred by a river’s channel

Question 9

Precipitation

Answer 9

Water (eg. Snow, hail, rain) transferred from the atmosphere to the surface

Question 10

Evaporation

Answer 10

Loss of water when it changed firm a liquid into a vapour, transferred from surface to atmosphere

Question 11

Confluence

Answer 11

The point where two rivers meet

Question 12

Desertification

Answer 12

When soil becomes dry, leading to soil erosion and danger of turning into a desert

Question 13

Transpiration

Answer 13

Loss of moisture by plants through their stomata, transferred into the atmosphere

Question 14

Evapotranspiration

Answer 14

Combined water loss from evaporation and transpiration

Question 15

Condensation

Answer 15

When water changes from a gas form (vapour) to liquid in cooling, often forms clouds

Question 16

Surface runoff / overland flow

Answer 16

Movement of water over the land surface

Question 17

Infiltration

Answer 17

Gradual penetration of eater into the land surface

Question 18

Percolation

Answer 18

Gradual seepage of water through the soil

Question 19

Groundwater flow

Answer 19

The movement of water below the surface

Question 20

Interception

Answer 20

Interruption of transfer, usually by rainfall on plants

Question 21

Permeable/impermeable

Answer 21

Allows/does not allow water to pass through

Question 22

Porous

Answer 22

Able to. Hold water in the pore spaces, like a sponge

Question 23

Flood

Answer 23

When a river channel does not have sufficient capacity to transfer all the discharge

Question 24

Drought

Answer 24

Unusual dry spells when rainfall is significantly below average

Question 25

Hydrograph

Answer 25

A graph showing the rate if water discharge in a river/stream

Question 26

Lag time

Answer 26

Length of time between the peak of rainfall and peak of discharge

Question 27

Relief

Answer 27

The shape of the earths land surface (eg. Hills, plains)

Question 28

Landform

Answer 28

A distinctive feature on the land surface create by natural processes

Question 29

Erosion

Answer 29

The wearing away of rocks and surfaces by moving agents (eg. Wind or water flow)

Question 30

Deposition

Answer 30

When transported material is laid down

Question 31

Transportation

Answer 31

When matter (eg. Sediment) is carried by a moving agent (eg. Rivers)

Question 32

Sediment

Answer 32

Small particles eroded or weathered from a surface

Question 33

Case studies for this topic (8)

Answer 33

River Mississippi 
Rivers of Bangladesh (Brahmaputra)
Cliffs at north Norfolk coast
Climate change in Iceland
Tropical rain forests in Brazil 
Norfolk broads ecosystem 
Hurricanes (Katrina)
Colorado dam system