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physical geography > The Water Cycle > Flashcards

The Water Cycle Flashcards

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1
Q

4 global stores of water

A

oceans
lakes
aquifers
cryosphere

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2
Q

what type of system is the global water cycle

A

closed

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3
Q

how much freshwater is held in the cryosphere

A

70%

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4
Q

how much freshwater is held in lakes

A

20%

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5
Q

how much water is accesible

A

1.3%

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6
Q

how much water is stored as aquifers

A

30%

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7
Q

where are aquifers found

A

in porous and permeable rocks such as limetsone and sandtsone

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8
Q

cryosphere stores

A

sea ice
permafrost
ice caps
glaciers

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9
Q

what are the 5 subsytems

A

cryosphere
biosphere
lithosphere
hydrosphere
atmosphere

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10
Q

largest store in the global water cycle

A

oceans 97%

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11
Q

features of flashy hydrographs

A

short lag time
higher flood risk
high peak discharge

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12
Q

features of subdued hydrographs

A

long lag time
le

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13
Q

what is the water balance

A

the balance between inputs and outputs

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14
Q

what is required for there to be a river

A

stores can release water
direct precipitation and
overland flow into river

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15
Q

when does evapotranspiration increase

A

when it is warmer, and atmosphere can hold more water vapour than the amount of water available

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16
Q

soil water budget - winter uk

A

precipitation is greater than potential evapotranspiration and soil is in a water surplus

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17
Q

soil water budget- spring uk

A

potential evapotranspirtion exceeds precipitation

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18
Q

soil water budget- summer uk

A

there is a deficit of soil water. river levels fall

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19
Q

soil water budget-autumn

A

soil water is fully recharged and precipitation exceeds evapotranspiration

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20
Q

what is river discharge

A

the amount of water in a river flowing past a particular point expressed as m3s-1 (cumecs)

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21
Q

bankfull

A

maximum discharge that a river channel is capable of carrying without flooding

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22
Q

lag time

A

time between peak rainfall and peal discharge

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23
Q

factors which interect with river discharge

A

water resources
water related structures
flood alleviation schemes

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24
Q

why are storm hydrographs important

A

they can predict how a river might respond to a rainstorm

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25
Q

hydrograph of basin with circular shape

A

flashy,long,thin

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26
Q

hydropgraph of basin with steep sides (e.g river eden in the penines)

A

flashier
water flows fast
short lag time
overland flow is fast

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27
Q

how does rock type effect flood hydrograph

A

impermeable- higher overland flow, lower throughflow and infiltration (flashy)

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28
Q

how does vegetation effect the flood hydrograph

A

thick vegetation holds water in its leaves, and slows movement of water into channel, subdues the hydrograph increasing lag time and reduces peak discharge

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29
Q

effect of heavy rainfall on the hydrograph

A

higher discharge
harder to infiltrate

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30
Q

how does deforestation effect the hydrograph

A

reduces interception, less roots means less infiltration
sedimentation of the channel and reduces the bankfull capacity

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31
Q

how does the growth of urban areas impact hydropgraphs

A

impermeable surfaces
designed to transfer water away quickly
water abstraction reduces the base flow

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32
Q

what is the water balance equation

A

precipitation = total run off + evapotranspiration + storage

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33
Q

what is the main input to a drainage basin

A

precipitation

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34
Q

what are the main outputs of a drainage basin

A

evopration
transpiration

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35
Q

what are the 3 main stores in the drainage basin system

A

surface storage, soil moisture storage, groundwater storage

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36
Q

what are the 6 main flows in the drainage basin systm

A

interception
infiltration
through flow
overland flow
surface runoff

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37
Q

three types of rainfall

A

relief
frontal
convectional

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38
Q

Atmospheric water

A

Water found in the atmosphere
Mainly water vapour, liquid water and ice crystals

39
Q

Hydrosphere

A

A discontinuous layer of water at or near the earths surface
Includes all liquid and frozen surface waters, groundwater’s and water vapour

40
Q

How much atmospheric water makes up all water

A

0.4%

41
Q

How much do oceans cover

A

72% of the earths surface

42
Q

Sea level pH

A

8.4, slightly alkaline

43
Q

What is the oceans change in pH due to

A

Increase in atmospheric carbon having an influence on. Marine ecosystems

44
Q

Sea ice

A

Forms when sea is is cooled to temps below freezing
Does not increase sea levels
Platforms of ice shelves move out into the ocean
Ice shelves raise sea level when they disconnect from the land

45
Q

Ice sheet

A

A mass of glacial land ice extending more than 50,000km2
Cover most of Greenland and Antarctica
Together they store 99% of freshwater
Form here snow that falls in winter does not melt in summer

46
Q

Ice caps

A

Layers of ice on land smaller than 50,000km2
Major source of glaciers

47
Q

Alpine glaciers

A

Thick masses of ice found in deep valleys or in upland hollows

48
Q

Permafrost

A

Ground soil that remains below 0° for two consecutive years
1-1500 metres thick
Formed during glacial periods
Has begun to melt as the climate warms
Release co2 and ch4

49
Q

4 types of terrestrial water

A

Surface
Ground
Biological
Soil

50
Q

What do surface waters include

A

Lakes
Rivers
Wetlands

51
Q

Rivers in the water cycle

A

Act as a store and a transfer
0.0002% of all water
Largest is the Amazon

52
Q

Lakes in the water cycle

A

Greater than 2 ha
Mainly freshwater sources
Collections of freshwater in hollows

53
Q

Wetlands

A

Areas where water covers the soil, including during the growing season
Water saturation is high
Support species
Creates favoured conditions for plant growth

54
Q

Groundwater

A

Water that collects underground in the pore spaces of rock
Complete saturation of rocks and pores is the water table
Reducing due to extraction for use in agriculture

55
Q

Soil water

A

Held together with air in unsaturated upper weathered laters of the earth
Effects run off, infiltration, soil erosion
Soil moisture is a key variable in the transfer of heat and energy (evaporation and plant transpiration)

56
Q

Biological water

A

All water stored in biomass
High in rainforests
Trees take in through roots and it leaves through transpiration

57
Q

Atmospheric water

A

Most commonly exits as water vapour
Absorbs, reflects, scatters solar radiation to maintain life
Cold air cannot hold as much water vapour
Increase in vapour leads to increase in temps
Clouds are visible - form from air being saturated after cooling of air/ increase in vapour

58
Q

Three main factors driving changes in magnitude of stores

A

Evaporation
Condensation
Cryospheric processes

59
Q

When does evaporation occur

A

When energy from solar radiation hits the surface of water or land and causes liquid to turn to gas

60
Q

What does the rate of evaporation depend on

A

Amount of solar energy
Availability of water
Humidity of the air
Temp of the air

61
Q

What is transpiration

A

Water is transported from the roots of a plant to its leaves and lost through its leaves with its stomata

62
Q

What energy is used during evaporation

A

Latent heat energy and so it cools its surroundings

63
Q

Condensation

A

Excess water in the air is converted to liquid
Water molecules condense on tiny particles (condensation nuclei)
Direct cause of all forms of precipitation

64
Q

When does condensation occur

A

When the temp of the air is reduces to dew point but volume remains the same
-e.g. warm moist air passes over surface

When the volume of air increases but there is no addition of heat when air rises and expands in the lower pressure of the upper atmosphere (adiabatic cooling)

65
Q

When does adiabatic cooling occur

A

Air is forced to rise over hills
Masses of air of diff temps and density meets
Localised warm surfaces heat the air above

66
Q

Cryopsheric processes

A

Accumulation and ablation
Interglacial periods = ablation < accumulation sea levels will rise
Cryosphere is major store of water

67
Q

Interception storage

A

Precipitation that calls on the vegetation surfaces and is temporarily stored here
It can be evaporated into atmosphere or absorbed and transmitted to ground storage

68
Q

Percolation

A

Downward movement of water within the rock under the soil surface

69
Q

Saturated

A

Any water store that has reached maximum capacity

70
Q

Through fall

A

Portion of precipitation that reaches the ground directly through gaps in the vegetation canopy, drops from leaves twigs and stems
Occurs when the canopy surface rainwater storage exceeds its storage capacity

71
Q

Drainage basin

A

Areas that supply rivers with a supply go water
They are separated by one another with a boundary known as the watershed

72
Q

Process of precipitation on a hill slope pt.1

A

-precipitation lands on surface and vegetation (providing interception store)
-a lot of the water captures is evaporated back into the atmosphere
-water makes way to ground through throughfall and stem flow
-the water on the ground is infiltrated controlled by gravity

73
Q

precipitation in the hill slope pt.2

A

-a soils porosity is controlled by texture, structure, organic content which determines rate of infiltration
-pores and fissure can be made by organisms
-larger pores allow for more downwards water flow

74
Q

Soil storage

A

The amount of water held in the soil
Consists of solid particles with spaces between them

75
Q

When rainfall intensity is greater than the infiltration rate …

A

The soil has reached infiltration capacity and the soil will be saturated
Water will build up on the surface (surface storage)
Much of this then evaporates back into the atmospher and lost to the drainage basin
When surface storage is full then overland flow will begin
Lateral movement of the soil = through flow

76
Q

How does the river transfer water

A

Channel flow

77
Q

Rivers only occur if

A

There is direct precipitation
Over land flow into the riber

78
Q

River regime

A

The variability in a rivers discharge throughout the course of a year in response to temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration.

79
Q

Characteristics of UK rainfall

A

Fairly evenly distributed with a slight autumn/winter maximum
Seasonal variations in temp = evapotranspiration concentrated in the summer

80
Q

What is a storm hydrograph

A

The graph of the discharge of a river leading up to and following a rainfall event
They can predict how a river might respond to a rain storm
This can help in managing the river

81
Q

What is rising discharge shown by

A

The rising limb of the storm hydrograph

82
Q

What type of hydrography’s are at a circular drainage basin

A

Flashy - high peak discharge, short lag time

83
Q

Drainage basins with flashy hydrography’s

A

Steep sided
Impermeable rock
Already saturated

84
Q

Drainage basins with subdued hydrograph

A

Snow rather than precipitation
Low intensity precipitation - high rate of infiltration
Small

85
Q

Human effects on the flood hydrograph - deforestation

A

Deforestation - reduces infiltration rate
-rapid overland flow
-flashy hydrograph
-exposes soil to great soil erosion - sedimentation of the channel
Reduces bankfull capacity of river

86
Q

Human impacts on the flood hydrograph - agriculture

A

Ploughing breaks up top soil and allows great infiltration
Subdueds the hydrograph
Ploughing wet soil can cause impermeable smears in the soil
Grass crops increase infiltration
Animals can compact soils leading to overland flow

87
Q

Human impacts on the hydrograph - urbanisation

A

Impermeable surfaces
Flashy hydrograph
Settlements are built on flood plains
Designed to transfer water quickly
Water abstraction reduces the base flow

88
Q

Deforestation impacts on the water cycle

A

Less evaporation
More run off
Stream flow increase
Amount of change depends on-amount of rainfall,how much deforestation, land use after

89
Q

Positive feedback of deforestation on water cycle

A

Evapotranspiration is low
Water leaves the area in river channel
Less water vapour in atmosphere
Precipitation levels fall
Flow is reudced

90
Q

Agricultural soil drainage

A

Subsurface drainage removes excess water from the soil profile
Costly but beneficial for poorly drained soils

91
Q

Advantages of soil drainage

A

Improved soil structure, greater root penetration
Improved aeration, microorganisms thrive in necessary supply
Heavy machinery can work on the land without danger of compaction
Large numbers of animals allowed to graze

92
Q

Disadvantages of agricultural soil drainage

A

Increases the speed of through flow increasing likelihood of flooding
Dry topsoil vulnerable to wind erosion
Nitrate loss

93
Q

Water abstraction

A

Problems occur when amount demanded exceeds amount available
E.g. in Europe groundwater is main source of freshwater
Would result in sinking water tables and higher extraction costs

physical geography (28 decks)

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