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Physical Geography > The Water Cycle > Flashcards

The Water Cycle Flashcards

1
Q

Precipitation

A

The input into a drainage basin system. It includes all forms of moisture entering: hail, snow, dew, frost, sleet and rain.

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2
Q

Interception

A

The storage of water when it lands on vegetation (or structures like buildings) before it reaches the soil. It is a temporary store before evaporation or stemflow

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3
Q

Surface storage

A

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. The water is held in cracks (limestone) bedding planes (sedimentary rock) or pores (chalk). Rocks with lots of water storage are called aquifers

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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 – this is usually a quick flow.

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9
Q

Stem flow

A

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

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10
Q

Throughfall

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 the particles) towards the river

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12
Q

Interflow

A

The horizontal movement of water through rock above the water table. (Below water table 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 water is heated and turned from a liquid into a gas. Rates are 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 to 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. Potential evapotranspiration is the amount that could occur if water were available. Actual evapotranspiration is the amount that actually occurs. Eg deserts have a very high potential evapotranspiration due to the high temperature however actual evapotranspiration is low as there is very little water available.

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21
Q

Condensation

A

Transfer of water from a gaseous state to a liquid state, for example, the formation of clouds

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22
Q

Condensation nuclei

A

Microscopic particles on which water vapor condenses to form cloud droplets – eg dust or smoke

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23
Q

Dew point

A

The temperature at which the water vapor 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
Deposition
Transfer from a gaseous state (water vapour) to a solid state (ice) – eg hoar frost
26
Latent heat
The heat required to convert a solid into a liquid or vapor, or a liquid into a vapor, without change of temperature.
27
Discharge
The output of water from a river channel out to sea.
28
Aquifer
A vast underground reservoir most commonly formed in rocks such as chalk and sandstone
29
Impermeable surface
Does not allow water to pass through
30
Permeable surface
Allows water to pass through
31
Urbanisation
The increasing proportion of people living in towns and cities as opposed to the countryside, leading to the replacement of vegetated ground with impermeable concrete and tarmac
32
Deforestation
The removal of trees, leading to surface runoff and soil erosion and reducing soil water stores
33
Drainage basin
The area of land that is drained by a river and its tributaries
34
Source
The point where the river begins. The river is both narrow and shallow here, discharge is low.
35
Mouth
The point where the river meets the sea. The river is wide and deep here, and discharge is high.
36
Watershed
The edge of a drainage basin
37
Tributary
Smaller rivers that feed into the main channel
38
Confluence
The point where two rivers meet
39
Flood (storm) hydrograph
A graph showing the discharge of a river following a particular storm event
40
Lag time
Time between peak rainfall and peak discharge. Longer lag time = less likely to cause a flood
41
River regime
The pattern of discharge over the course of a year. Affected by geology, vegetation, urbanisation, size/shape of drainage basin, rainfall intensity etc.
42
Soil moisture (water) budget
Describes the changes in the soil water store during the course of a year. It is determined by precipitation and evapotranspiration. There are several stages in a soil moisture budget graph including: Soil moisture utilisation; Soil moisture deficit; Soil moisture recharge; Field capacity; Soil moisture surplus.
43
Soil moisture utilisation
The extraction of soil moisture by plants for their needs; efficiency of withdrawal decreases as the soil-moisture storage is reduced.
44
Soil moisture deficit
The point at which soil moisture falls below field capacity - caused by a lack of precipitation and large amounts of evapotranspiration
45
Soil moisture recharge
Following soil moisture deficit, precipitation is greater than potential evapotranspiration moisture will be added to the soil.
46
Field capacity
The point at which soil becomes saturated.
47
Soil moisture surplus
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
Soil porosity
Pores or spaces in the soil. The greater pores or spaces, the greater the water holding ability.
49
Water balance
An equation used to express the relationship between the main water stores – the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere and the atmosphere
50
Hillslope system
The way in which water moves down a typical hillslope towards a river, involving stores and transfers
51
Irrigation
The supply of water to the land by means of channels, streams and sprinklers in order to permit the growth of crops
52
Water table
The upper level of saturated rock
53
Water abstraction
The extraction of water from rivers or groundwater aquifers
54
Saltwater intrusion
The movement of saltwater into an aquifer, which may cause contamination. Often caused by over abstraction of groundwater from an aquifer.
55
Relief/Orographic rainfall
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
Frontal rainfall
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
Convectional rainfall
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
Ablation
Outputs from a glacial system due to melting (size of glacier decreases)
59
Accumulation
Inputs to a glacial system due to snowfall (builds a glacier)

Physical Geography (19 decks)

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