The water cycle Flashcards
evaporation
warm moist air rises, this is an output. The sun heats the water and causes it to change state from liquid to gas
condensation
the rising air cools and condenses into clouds in the upper atmosphere
advection
the clouds are blown in land by the wind
interception
when it rains and the trees block the water from reaching the ground and water is stored on their leaves
precipitation
the clouds become too heavy and loose their moisture as, rain, hail, sleet, and snow. This is the only imput.
what happens to precipitation at high altitude?
it often falls as snow as it is very cold, this can be trapped in glaciers and stored as ice
infiltration
water slowly seeps into permeable soil straight downwards
percolation
water slowly moves through permeable rocks, e.g. lime stone, to reach the ground water store
through flow
the sideways movement of water through the soil. This is a transfer
water table
the water table changes level depending on the seasons
what is the water table like in summer?
depleted through evaporation as the weather is warmer
what is the water table like in winter?
heavier precipitation causes the water store to rise
what kind of system is the water cycle?
a closed system
surface runoff
on impermeable surfaces, or saturated ground, the water flows overland towards the sea
evapo-transpiration
water evaporates off the leaves of trees. This is an out put.
