Processes driving change in the magnitude of stores- Water Cycle

Question 1

What are the 4 processes that change the size of stores in the water cycle?

Answer 1

-Evaporation

-Condensation

-Precipitation (convectional, relief, frontal)

-Cryospheric processes at hillslope/drainage basin

Question 2

Why does evaporation occur?

Answer 2

-Sun gives water energy, so bonds between molecules can be broken , latent heat is also needed for this process as bonds are so strong.

-When evapo occurs it cools the surroundings

Question 3

What 3 factors affect the rate of evaporation?

Answer 3

relative humidity

saturation

dew point temperature

Question 4

What is relative humidity?

Answer 4

The amount of water vapour in the air at a given temp, compared to how much the air can possibly hold at that temp

Question 5

What is saturation?

Answer 5

If something is saturated it means 100% relative humidity- as much as the atmosphere can hold at a given time

Question 6

What is dew point temperature?

Answer 6

If air = saturated
Air cannot hold anymore water vapour or not cold enough , it will condense
Affected by humidity
More moisture + higher dew point

Question 7

What is condensation?

Answer 7

Water vapour absorbs heat and as water vapour condense it cools temp

Warmer air = more vapour = warmer global temps

Cooler air = less vapour = Poles (North and South) are dry due to less condensation

Question 8

What scale does evaporation cool surroundings?

Answer 8

Local scale

Question 9

What scale does condensation cool temperature?

Answer 9

Larger scale than evapo

Question 10

What factors affect the rate of condensation?

Answer 10

-occurs bc water vapour loses energy, atmosphere becomes saturated and reaches dew point temp

-occurs if temp suddenly drops- air becomes saturated= new dew point temp

Question 11

What are condensation nuclei?

Answer 11

Particles or surfaces (e.g leaves or windows) that are below dew point temp so condensation turns into clouds (particles in atmosphere)

Question 12

What are 3 examples of condensation nuclei?

Answer 12

Dust, salts and aerosols

Question 13

What is precipitation?

Answer 13

Occurs when there are too many water droplets in the air to defy gravity

Question 14

Give 4 examples of precipitation

Answer 14

-Rain
-Hail
-Sleet
-Snow

Question 15

What are the 3 forms of precipitation?

Answer 15

-Convectional
-Frontal
-Relief

Question 16

What is convectional rainfall?

Answer 16

-Driven by energy from sun
-More heat = more evapo/conden
-More clouds/more rain

Question 17

Give an example of where convectional rainfall occurs

Answer 17

The rainforest (equator)

Question 18

What is relief rainfall?

Answer 18

-prevailing wind towards windward side
-low pressure (hot air rises/forced upwards)
-high pressure (cooler air sinks = condensation, dry descending air)

Question 19

What is frontal rainfall?

Answer 19

-warm air holds more moisture, less dense
-warm air rises
-cold front = more dense
-cold air sinks

-every loom loss -1 degrees

Question 20

Name the 2 cryospheric processes

Answer 20

Accumulation and Ablation

Question 21

Define accumulation

Answer 21

The build up of snow and ice, will make glacier grow in size

Question 22

Define ablation

Answer 22

The melting of ice, reduces glacier size, happens at snout of glacier

Question 23

Define glacier mass balance

Answer 23

The balance between accumulation and ablation

Question 24

Define positive mass balance

Answer 24

-Accumulation is greater than ablation

-Accumulation> Ablation

Question 25

Define negative mass balance

Answer 25

-Ablation is greater than accumulation

-Accumulation< Ablation