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Environmental Science > The Hydrosphere > Flashcards

The Hydrosphere Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the different reservoirs of water in the water cycle?

A

oceans
land ice
ground water
the atmosphere
living organisms
lakes and rivers
soil moisture

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2
Q

What does residence time mean?

A

average time a water molecule spends in a reservoir

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3
Q

What does transfer rate mean?

A

how much water moves over a period of time (molecules per min)

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4
Q

How do you work out residence time?

A

volume of water in reservoir/ mean transfer rate

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5
Q

Which reservoir has the longest residence time?

A

groundwater

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6
Q

Which reservoir has the shortest residence time?

A

living organisms

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7
Q

Which reservoirs does water move between during this process: evaporation

A

oceans to atmosphere

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8
Q

Which reservoirs does water move between during this process: precipitation

A

atmosphere to ground

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9
Q

Which reservoirs does water move between during this process: transpiration

A

plants to atmosphere

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10
Q

Which reservoirs does water move between during this process: runoff

A

land to ocean

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11
Q

Which reservoirs does water move between during this process: interception

A

atmosphere to plants

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12
Q

Which reservoirs does water move between during this process: infiltration

A

surface to soil

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13
Q

Which reservoirs does water move between during this process: percolation

A

downward movement of water through soil

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14
Q

Which reservoirs does water move between during this process: ground water flow

A

soil to rock

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15
Q

Which reservoirs does water move between during this process: transport by wind

A

over ocean to over land

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16
Q

Which reservoirs does water move between during this process: surface flow

A

unconfined flow of water over ground surface

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17
Q

Where does the energy come from that drives the water cycle?

A

the sun - drives evaporation

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18
Q

What does abstraction mean?

A

taking water from its natural reservoir for human use

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19
Q

How do human activities affect processes of the water cycle: urbanisation

A

reduces infiltration and ground water

increases surface runoff

increases interception (building use), slows down movement of water

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20
Q

How do human activities affect processes of the water cycle: abstraction

A

from groundwater - causes subsidence - increases surface level reservoirs

from oceans - increases water in living things

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21
Q

How do human activities affect processes of the water cycle: agriculture

A

increased abstraction and transpiration
decreased infiltration

soil gets compacted due to heavy machinery

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22
Q

How do human activities affect processes of the water cycle: deforestation

A

decreased transpiration, interception, infiltration

exposed soils, reduces water in atmosphere

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23
Q

How do human activities affect processes of the water cycle: afforestation

A

increased transpiration and interception
decreased infiltration

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24
Q

How do human activities affect processes of the water cycle: combustion of fossil fuels

A

increased evaporation and precipitation

more water in the atmosphere, speeds up water cycle

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25
Q

How do human activities affect processes of the water cycle: industry

A

increased atmospheric stores
decrease surface stores and evaporation

extracts water from ocean and rivers

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26
Q

Factors that cause the demand for water to change: population

A

increased pop = increased demand

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27
Q

Factors that cause the demand for water to change: change in affluence

A

increased affluence = increased demand = increased appliance use and activites

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28
Q

Factors that cause the demand for water to change: type of industry

A

chemical production = increased water
service industry = decreased water

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29
Q

Factors that cause the demand for water to change: agriculture

A

intensive agriculture = increased water

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30
Q

What is most of the water used for in the service industry?

A

energy production

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31
Q

Reasons for the increase in demand of domestic water use

A

more accessible appliances
growth of urbanisation
population growth

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32
Q

Reasons for the increase in demand of agricultural water use

A

more intensive agriculture to meet demand

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33
Q

Reasons for the decrease in demand for industrial water use

A

moved from heavy industry to service industry

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34
Q

Define water footprint

A

a measure of the volume of fresh water utilized by a country/person/community/business

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35
Q

Why is Kuwait the most dependent country for water imports?

A

hot
high population density
high affluence

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36
Q

Why does chocolate have such a high water footprint?

A

to run the machines
chocolate crops require a lot of water

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37
Q

Why does Brazil have the highest renewable water resources in the world?

A

amazon river used for HEP

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38
Q

Abstractive uses of water

A

drinking water
appliances
industry
recreation
agriculture
mining
power stations
transportation

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39
Q

Exploitation of the River Nile

A

population increase = overfishing

wetland degradation, deforestation, expansion of farmland = decreasing flow

urban settlements = polluting water

HEP dam in ethiopia = political unrest = The Nile Basin Initiative promotes cooperation amongst 11 countries in NE Africa

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40
Q

Uses of the River Nile

A

domestic, industrial, agricultural

banks contain rich soil due to flooding

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41
Q

Exploitation of the Rivers of Tibet (Mikong River)

A

increase in population = more pressure on resources

over 100 dams under development for HEP

167 hydropower plants

dams prevent fish from migrating = do not reach spawning grounds

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42
Q

Uses of the Mikong River

A

3 billion dollar fishing and agriculture industry

25% of global freshwater catch

supports crucial growth of crops

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43
Q

What is a reservoir (man made)?

A

an artificial lake where water is stored

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44
Q

Why do we build reservoirs?

A

to store the rain during wet seasons for drier years

domestic use, flood risk management, HEP, agriculture, industry

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45
Q

Advantages of reservoirs

A

floodwater control
power generation
irrigation
recreational use
clean supply of water
water for transport
HEP

46
Q

Disadvantages of reservoirs

A

loss of high quality agricultural land
displacement of people
impacts fish migration
expensive
water transfer between river basins is expensive

47
Q

Environmental impacts of reservoirs: habitat change

A

upstream of dam = flooded = becomes a freshwater habitat

downstream of dam = drier = grassland, woodland

48
Q

Environmental impacts of reservoirs: wildlife migration barriers

A

dams stop the natural flow of water

49
Q

Environmental impacts of reservoirs: changes in the river flow downstream of dams

A

less water arrives downstream

river becomes smaller = lower water availability for downstream habitats

50
Q

Environmental impacts of reservoirs: sedimentation

A

river flow decreases = particles settle

sedimentation behind dam reduces space in reservoir

51
Q

Environmental impacts of reservoirs: microclimate

A

HSHC
moderates extremes of temp

52
Q

Factors that affect reservoir location: topography

A

ideal location = valley with steep sides and a river running through

53
Q

Factors that affect reservoir location: geology

A

impermeable bedrock

54
Q

Factors that affect reservoir location: catchment area

A

larger catchment area = fuller reservoir

55
Q

Factors that affect reservoir location: water supply

A

high precipitation levels

56
Q

Factors that affect reservoir location: pollution risk

A

pollutants become concentrate

(e.g. agrichemicals and sewage)

57
Q

Factors that affect reservoir location: sedimentation

A

determine rates of soil erosion and catchment area

58
Q

Factors that affect reservoir location: infrastructure

A

access roads already built = cheaper and easier

59
Q

Factors that affect reservoir location: existing land use and land use conflicts

A

designations/agriculture/urban settlements

60
Q

What is an estuarine barrage?

A

a dam built across the mouth of a river, creating a reservoir

61
Q

Disadvantages of estuarine barrages

A

expensive
difficult to build
acts as a migration barrier
causes sedimentation
creates an obstacle for transport
damages intertidal wetlands

62
Q

Define aquifer

A

a body of permeable rock that can contain or transmit groundwater

63
Q

How does porosity contribute to the formation of an aquifer?

A

allows water to be stored underground

64
Q

What does porosity mean?

A

a measure of a rocks ability to hold a fluid

65
Q

How does permeability contribute to the formation of an aquifer?

A

allows water to pass through from the surface

66
Q

What does permeability mean?

A

a measure of the ability of a material to transmit fluids

67
Q

How do geological structures contribute to the formation of an aquifer?

A

impermeable rocks prevent drainage

syncline basin

68
Q

What is a confined aquifer?

A

below land surface that is saturated with water

69
Q

What is an unconfined aquifer?

A

rock is directly open at the surface of the ground and ground water is directly recharged

70
Q

What is an artesian well?

A

a well drilled into an aquifer underneath the water table
natural water pressure pushes the water up and out

71
Q

Consequences of aquifer overuse: reduced supplies

A

limited supplies for agriculture, industry and domestic use

less food security

migration of people due to famine

72
Q

Consequences of aquifer overuse: subsidence

A

overextraction leaves pore spaces empty, causing them to collapse

73
Q

Consequences of aquifer overuse: changes in surface hydrology

A

disappearance of surface water features if levels drop below water table

74
Q

Consequences of aquifer overuse: ecological impacts

A

loss of freshwater habitats
local extinction of species
migration of species
imbalance in food chains

75
Q

Consequences of aquifer overuse: saltwater incursion

A

overextraction causes permeable rocks to absorb saltwater

cannot use water for drinking, irrigation or industry

long residence time = long term problems

76
Q

How can we monitor aquifer water levels and rates of depletion?

A

boreholes
NASA - GRACE satellites

77
Q

How do boreholes monitor aquifer levels?

A

physically measure the level of the water table (rising or falling?)

78
Q

How do GRACE satellites monitor aquifer levels?

A

measures gravitational pull of the aquifer

greater the mass = greater the pull

79
Q

What is the most important aquifer in the UK?

A

the london basin

water table is rising above the underground system = flooding

80
Q

What is the London Basin used for?

A

domestic and service supplies

historically used for industry

81
Q

How has the water table changed in the SE over the years?

A

started to rise since less water is being extracted

82
Q

Define aquifer recharge

A

the natural filling of an aquifer

83
Q

How is the London Basin recharged?

A

precipitation percolates through the ground

84
Q

How is rainwater harvested in modern buildings?

A

rainwater collected on rooftops

installing gutters on roofs

ground level catchment basins

85
Q

New ways of exploiting water

A

sewage treatment
desalination
new aquifers
reusing agricultural draining water
cloud seeding

86
Q

How are aquifers recharged artificially?

A

remove water from reservoirs where there is a surplus and transfer it to the aquifer

87
Q

How can reservoirs be used to regulate river flow?

A

maintains flow at moderate levels all year round

88
Q

What is meant by inter basin transfer?

A

surplus of water in one basin is moved into a basin that has been depleted

89
Q

How can afforestation help with water supplies?

A

interception = slows down flow of water

more water infiltrates to become ground water

more vegetation = increased organic matter in the soil

90
Q

How can we reduce domestic water consumption?

A

water meters

91
Q

How can we reduce agricultural water consumption?

A

drip irrigation = crops only take up water when they need to

92
Q

Impact of high turbidity

A

blocks light for photosynthesis
ruins aesthetics

93
Q

Impacts of pH extremes

A

cause corrosion of pipework
denatures cells and enzymes

metals dissolve faster in acidic conditions

94
Q

Impacts of high calcium content

A

precipitate may build up on pipework appliances

95
Q

Impacts of high pesticide concentration

A

harmful to non-intended insects

many are liposoluble = builds up = effects magnify up the food chain

96
Q

Impacts of high heavy metal concentration

A

toxic
affects CNS and cognitive ability

97
Q

Impacts of dissolved oxygen

A

supports bacteria that decompose organic matter

98
Q

Impacts of chlorine retention

A

allows water to kill pathogens over a period of time

99
Q

What does the presence of E.coli suggest?

A

polluted water

100
Q

Methods of freshwater treatment: screening

A

water passed through metal grids

removes large items

101
Q

Methods of freshwater treatment: sedimentation

A

water stored in tanks for a number of days, allows suspended solids to settle out

102
Q

Methods of freshwater treatment: aeration

A

air bubbled through water to stimulate aerobic bacteria

bacteria breaks down organic matter, killing anaerobic bacteria

103
Q

Methods of freshwater treatment: flocculation

A

chemicals added to remove charges on particles (e.g. clay), allowing them to clump together

104
Q

Methods of freshwater treatment: filtration

A

water percolates through sand and gravel beds

removes bacteria and remaining particles

105
Q

Methods of freshwater treatment: activated carbon filters

A

small carbon crystals added

pesticides adsorb to the crystals

106
Q

Methods of freshwater treatment: sterilisation

A

add chloring/UV/ozone

removes pathogens

107
Q

Methods of freshwater treatment: pH control

A

neutralises water

108
Q

Methods of freshwater treatment: fluoridation

A

add fluoride to water

resolves public health issue

109
Q

Methods of freshwater treatment: ion exchange

A

ion exchange resins are added

metal ions adsorb to the resin

removes metals

110
Q

Describe the process of reverse osmosis

A

water molecules forced through semi-permeable membrane at high pressure, salt can’t pass through

energy intense and expensive

remaining salt water returned to the ocean

111
Q

Describe the process of distillation

A

evaporate salt water
capture and condense water vapour
salt remains in original container

requires large energy input = expensive

Environmental Science (24 decks)

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