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Physical Geography A-level > The Water Cycle > Flashcards

The Water Cycle Flashcards

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1
Q

Precipitation

A

The input into a drainage basin system

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2
Q

Interception

A

The storage of water when it lands on vegetation (or buildings) before it reachers the soil

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3
Q

Surface storages

A

The storage of water on the surface including puddles, ponds and lakes

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4
Q

Soil moisture

A

The storage of water in soil. Water is held in the small gaps between soil particles

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5
Q

Groundwater storage

A

The storage of water in the ground rocks of permeable rock, held in the cracks

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6
Q

Channel storage

A

The storage of water in the river channel. As water is being transported to the sea it is a store of water

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7
Q

Vegetation storage

A

The storage of water in the vegetation. Plants and trees take up water through their roots and water is stored here.

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8
Q

Surface runoff / overland flow

A

The horizontal flow of water over the surface of the land either in little channels or over the whole surface - usually a quick flow.

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9
Q

Stem flow

A

The downwards flow of water moving from interception storage to the surface

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10
Q

Through fall

A

The downwards movement of water as it drips from one leaf to another

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11
Q

Throughflow

A

The horizontal flow of water moving through soil (between particles) towards the river

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12
Q

Interflow

A

The horizontal movement of water through rock above the water table. (Below is groundwater flow)

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13
Q

Infiltration

A

The downwards movement of water from the surface into the soil

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14
Q

Percolation

A

The downwards movement of water from the soil to the permeable ground rock

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15
Q

Groundwater flow

A

The horizontal movement of water through the rocks below the water table

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16
Q

Baseflow

A

Groundwater flow that feeds into rivers

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17
Q

Channel flow

A

The movement of water in the river channel moving towards the sea

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18
Q

Evaporation

A
  • The output of water when it is turned from a liquid to a gas.
  • Affected by: temperature, wind, humidity and water availability
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19
Q

Transpiration

A

The output of water where moisture is taken into plants through their roots, moved into the leaves by capillary action and then evaporates from the leaves into a gas

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20
Q

Evapotranspiration

A

The combined output of water from evaporation and transpiration.

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21
Q

Condensation

A

Transfer of water from a gaseous state to a liquid state e.g cloud formation

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22
Q

Condensation nuclei

A

Microscopic particles on which water vapour condenses to for, cloud droplets e.g. dust or smoke

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23
Q

Dew point

A

The temperature at which water vapour in the air becomes saturated and condensation begins

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24
Q

Sublimation

A

Transfer from a solid state (ice) to a gaseous state (water vapour)

25
Q

Deposition

A

Transfer from a gaseous state (water vapour) to a solid state (ice)

26
Q

Latent heat

A

The heat required to convert a solid to a liquid or gas/ liquid to gas, without change of temperature

27
Q

Discharge

A

The output of water from a river channel out to sea

28
Q

Aquifer

A

A vast underground reservoir most commonly formed in rocks such as chalk and sandstone

29
Q

Impermeable surface

A

Does not allow water to pass through

30
Q

Permeable surface

A

Allows water to pass through

31
Q

Urbanisation

A

The increasing proportion of people living in towns at cities, opposed to the countryside - leading to the replacement of vegetated ground with impermeable concrete-tarmac

32
Q

Deforestation

A

The removal of trees, leading to surface runoff, soil erosion and reducing soil water stores

33
Q

Drainage basin

A

The area of land that is drained by a river and its tributaries

34
Q

Source

A

The point where the river begins (shallow and narrow- discharge is low)

35
Q

Mouth

A

The point where the river meets the sea. The river is wide and deep here, and discharge is high.

36
Q

Watershed

A

The edge of a drainage basin

37
Q

Tributary

A

Smaller rivers that feed into the main channel

38
Q

Confluence

A

The point where two rivers meet

39
Q

Flood (storm) hydrograph

A

A graph showing the discharge of a river following a particular storm event

40
Q

Lag time

A

Time between peak rainfall and peak discharge. Longer lag time = less likely to cause a flood

41
Q

River regime

A

The pattern of discharge over the course of a year. Affected by geology, vegetation, urbanisation, size/shape of drainage basin, rainfall intensity etc.

42
Q

Soil moisture (water)budget

A

Describes the changes in the soil water store during the course of a year. Determined by precipitation and evapotranspiration.

43
Q

Soil moisture utilisation

A

The extraction of soil moisture by plants for their needs; efficiency of withdrawal decreases as the soil-moisture storage is reduced.

44
Q

Soil moisture deficit

A

The point at which soil moisture falls below field capacity - caused by a lack of precipitation and large amounts of evapotranspiration

45
Q

Soil moisture recharge

A

Following soil moisture deficit, precipitation is greater than potential evapotranspiration moisture will be added to the soil.

46
Q

Field capacity

A

The point at which soil becomes saturated

47
Q

Soil moisture surplus

A

The period when soil is saturated and water cannot enter, and so flows over the surface – caused by low levels of evapotranspiration and high levels of precipitation

48
Q

Soil porosity

A

Pores or spaces in the soil. The greater pores or spaces, the greater the water holding ability.

49
Q

Water balance

A

An equation used to express the relationship between the main water stores – the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere and the atmosphere

50
Q

Hill slope system

A

The way in which water moves down a typical hillslope towards a river, involving stores and transfers

51
Q

Irrigation

A

The supply of water to the land by means of channels, streams and sprinklers in order to permit the growth of crops

52
Q

Water table

A

The upper level of saturated rock

53
Q

Water abstraction

A

The extraction of water from rivers or groundwater aquifers

54
Q

Saltwater intrusion

A

The movement of saltwater into an aquifer, which may cause contamination. Often caused by over abstraction of groundwater from an aquifer.

55
Q

Relief/orographic rainfall

A

Rainfall formed due to warm moist air being forced to rise by the relief of the land. Once risen, the air cools and condenses forming rain.

56
Q

Frontal rainfall

A

Rainfall formed when warm air meets cold air. Warm air is less dense and therefore rises above the cold air, cooling, condensing and forming rain.

57
Q

Conventional rainfall

A

Rainfall formed when heat from the sun heats the ground. The warm ground heats the air above causing it to rise, cool, condense and form rain.

58
Q

Ablation

A

Outputs from a glacial system due to melting (size of glacier decreases)

59
Q

Accumulation

A

Inputs to a glacial system due to snowfall (builds a glacier)

Physical Geography A-level (10 decks)

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