Unit 3.1 - W&C - Water Cycle Systems Flashcards
What is a system?
A set of interrelated components that are linked together to form a functioning whole
What is the water cycle and what 4 components does it contain?
It’s a key physical system involving water consisting of:
Stores
Flows
Inputs
Outputs
What are stores in the water cycle?
Naturally forming reservoirs of water, for example:
The Ocean
Lakes
Ice Caps
What are flows in the water cycle?
Movements/transfers of water between stores
What are inputs into the water cycle?
Water flow’s that enter stores, for example:
Snow on a glacier
Rivers to an ocean
What are outputs from the water cycle?
Water flow’s that exit stores, for example:
Evaporation
What type of system is the water cycle? Define this term.
Closed system
A closed system is a system that transfers energy, but not matter, across its boundary to the surrounding environment.
Describe the concept of mass balance
The volume of inputs into a system must equate to the volume of outputs(+/- any changes in storage)
What is the fixed amount of water on earth?
1385 cubic kilometres of water
What process in the water cycle doesn’t affect its mass balance? Why?
Transfers
No matter if water has changed state there is still the same amount of water in the system.
Define Evaporation
The change in state of water from a liquid to a gas
Define Transpiration
The diffusion of water from vegetation into the atmosphere, involving a change from liquid to gas (water is lost through pores in leaves).
Define Condensation
The process by which vapour changes into a liquid or solid form
Outline the worlds water stores and their percentage cover of global water.
Ocean - 97%
Ice Stores - 2%
Groundwater -1%
River and Lakes - 0.01%
Soil - 0.01 %
Atmosphere- <0.01%
Biosphere - <0.01%
Why do water stores change over time?
They change in size seasonally due to change in temperature, snow cover and river flows.
Human Factors also play a role eg. deforestation and flooding
