The Hydrological/ Water Cycle Flashcards
What is the hydrological cycle?
It shows how water moves around in different parts and ways.
Define infiltration
When water soaks into the soil from the surface
Define percolation
When water moves vertically down through the rock and soil.
Define Through flow
When water in the SOIL flows downhill
Define Groundwater flow
When water in the ROCK flows downhill
Define Surface Runoff
When water flows overground
Define Channel Flow
It is the flow of water in a river
Define precipitation
Different forms of water in the atmosphere. E.g. is rain, snow and hail
Define surface storage
When water is stored on the surface is things like lakes, puddles and reservoirs. NOT RIVERS
Define Channel storage
When water is held in a river
Define groundwater storage/water table
When water is stored underground in soil and rock(aquifer)
Define aquifer
An aquifer is a rock that stores water.
Define interception (store)
When plants and objects prevent the water from reaching the ground.
Define transpiration
The loss of water from plants
Define evapotranspiration
It is the sum of water lost from plants and sum of evaporation from the land surface. It is both evaporation and transpiration happening together
Another name for water table
Groundwater storage
Define evaporation
Process of turning liquid into water vapor.
Define Water discharge
the volume of water which flows through it in a given time. It is usually measured in cubic meters per second.
Define stem flow
flow of intercepted water down the trunk or stem of a plant
Define soil moisture
Water that is held within the soil around particles.
Define condensation
Change of water from gas phase to liquid phase
Explain a basic water cycle
- ) Water evaporates from sea and through evaporation, transpiration and evapotranspiration
- ) Water vapour moved inland by winds
- ) The water vapour condenses to form clouds and then falls over land as precipitation
- ) Water moves from one to another known as flows or transfers
- ) Water is then held on land in stores
- ) Water eventually ends up in the sea where it evaporates and goes round the cycle again.
Define store
Ways water gets held
Define transfer/flow
Water moving from one store/place to another