RS: Factors Affecting Water and Energy Supply Flashcards
1
Q
How does geology affect water supply?
A
- Impermeable rock = surface water supplies
- Permeable rock = formation of aquifers/artesian basins
- Rocks containing salt/minerals that dissolve into water = unsuitable without treatment
2
Q
What rock type is needed for surface water supplies?
A
Impermeable
3
Q
What rock type is needed for aquifers?
A
Permeable
4
Q
How can rock type mean that water quality is more assured?
A
Groundwater storage due to percolation - water is filtered as it percolates.
5
Q
How does climate affect water supply?
A
- Low pressure systems in tropics = large amounts of overland flow
- Higher variability of rainfall = increased monsoon events = more overland flow
- Impacts water quality = increased temps = algal blooms = affect oxygen levels = decreased water quality
6
Q
How does the drainage system affect water supply?
A
- Large drainage systems can collect greater levels of overland flow/infiltration = increasing river discharge and water supply
7
Q
How do human factors affect water supply?
A
- Increasing demand = depletion beyond recharge rates, particularly groundwater supplies
- Impact on water quality = farming (runoff of pesticides and fertilisers > eutrophication/algal blooms) or industrial runoff
- Climate change = e.g. areas reliant on snowmelt for water supply may not receive enough water due to a lack of winter snow build-up
- Economic water scarcity = cost of water storage/ impacts downstream of large-scale water storage > may lead to inequality based on affordability of supplies
8
Q
How does geology affect oil energy supply?
A
- Reservoirs on impermeable cap rock = build up of oil/gas
- Affects accessibility of reserve - shallow = more economically viable
- Affects formation of hydrocarbons - sedimentation = kerogen = 110C + forms oil/gas
9
Q
How does geology affect coal energy supply?
A
- Swamp conditions = anaerobic decomposition of organic material = coalification
10
Q
How does climate affect energy supply?
A
- Affects economic availiability = eg. Arctic Circle is less accessible vs warmer climate of Middle East
- Impacts renewables
- Arguably technological advances may allow climate to become less of a limiting factor - e.g. ANWR
11
Q
What human factors affect energy supply?
A
- Tech advances increase economic viability of previously inaccessible resources
- Unstable governments = reduced TNC investment = reduced drilling
- Economic scarcity = difficulty affording significant investment in renewables or unconventional oil
