Rivers- Hydrological Cycle Flashcards
Condensation
The process by which water vapour is converted into water
Precipitation
All forms of moisture that reach the earths surface
Interception
The prevention of rain from reaching the earths surface by trees and plants
Secondary interception
The prevention of rain from reaching the earths surface by a secondary layer of vegetation
Stem flow
The water that flows down tree trunks or plant stems
Evapotranspiration
The loss of water from a drainage basin into the atmosphere from the leaves of plants
Depression storage
The water that collects in hollows in the ground forming puddles/ponds
Surface runoff / overland flow
The movement of water over the surface of the land usually when the ground is saturated or frozen and infiltration cannot occur
Through flow
The movement of water downslope within the soil layer
Percolation
The gravity flow of water within soil
Groundwater store
The storage of water underground in permeable rock strata
Groundwater flow
The deeper movement of water through underlying rock strata
Channel run off
The movement of water within the river channel
Water table
The upper level of saturated rock and soil
Field capacity
When a soil has been saturated with water and has then been left to drain it is holding its field capacity
