Systems in physical geography Flashcards
What is a cascading system?
The transfer of mass and energy along a chain of component subsystems.
What is an element in terms of systems?
The key parts of the system.
What is an attribute in terms of systems?
The key characteristics of the elements.
Give an example of positive feedback in the water cycle.
- High temperatures keep more water in the air
- Increased volume of water vapour in the atmosphere
- Water vapour is a greenhouse gas which traps more heat in the atmosphere.
Give an example of positive feedback in the carbon cycle.
- Increase CO2 in the atmosphere (e.g through respiration)
- Air temperatures increase
- Polar ice cover melts, reducing the albedo effect
- More CO2 is released into the atmosphere from cryosphere stores.
Give an example of negative feedback in the water cycle.
- High air temperatures keeps more water in the atmosphere
- Increased cloud cover
- More clouds reflect more sunlight out of the atmosphere
- Reducing the air temperature, leading to less clouds forming.
Give an example of negative feedback in the carbon cycle.
- Increased CO2 in the atmosphere
- Air temperatures increase
- Plants grow at a quicker rate
- More CO2 is taken in through photosynthesis
What is the atmosphere?
The layers of gases surrounding a planet.
What is the lithosphere?
The solid, outer part of the earth.
What is the hydrosphere?
The total amount of water on a planet.
What is the cryosphere?
The frozen water part of the earth system.
What is the biosphere?
The parts of the earth where life exists.
What is the pedosphere?
The soil mantle of the earth.
How much water is stored in the hydrosphere?
How much water is stored in the lithosphere?
How much water is stored in the cryosphere?
How much water is stored in the biosphere?
How much water is stored in the pedosphere?
Describe the parts of the water cycle with a short residence time.
The quicker parts of the water cycle where water in transit through the atmosphere results in short term fluctuations in regional weather patterns.
Describe the parts of the water cycle with a long residence time.
The slower parts of the water cycle where water remains for 3000 to 10,000 years in deep - ocean circulations, groundwater acquifers and glacial ice. This moderates global temperatures and climates.
Why do soil stores have the shortest residence time?
How does evaporation drive change in the water cycle?
How does evapotranspiration drive change in the water cycle?
How does condensation (and cloud formation) drive change in the water cycle?
