The Hydrological Cycle

Question 1

What are systems normally made up of?

Answer 1

Stores, flows, inputs and outputs

Question 2

The global hydrological system is a closed system. Define closed system.

Answer 2

There are no external inputs or outputs of water. Water is continuously cycled between different stores.

Question 3

What drives the global hydrological cycle?

Answer 3

Solar energy and GPE. Heat moves water from the surface to the atmosphere and GPE causes water to flow downhill and precipitation to fall from the sky.

Question 4

What are the six water stores?

Answer 4

96.5% Oceans
1.7% Cryosphere
1.7% Groundwater
0.01% Surface water
0.001% Atmosphere
0.0001% Biosphere

Question 5

Define residence time.

Answer 5

The length of time a water molecule spends in a store on average.

Question 6

Define non-renewable water.

Answer 6

Water that’s not replenished for a very long time.

Question 7

There’s a limited amount of water available for human use. Water must be ——– and ——— ——– for humans to be able to use it.

Answer 7

physically and economically accessible.

Question 8

Why is water with shorter residence times better for human use?

Answer 8

They tend to contain fewer pollutants.

Question 9

What are the different fluxes between water stores?

Answer 9

Evapouration, condensation, precipitation, cryospheric processes.

Question 10

Define ablation.

Answer 10

The melting of snow and ice.