W&C - The Water Cycle: Local Scale Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the inputs in the water cycle?

A

Precipitation

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2
Q

What are the 3 types of rainfall?

A

Frontal, relief, convectional

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3
Q

Describe frontal rainfall

A
  • When two bodies of are at different temperatures meet, the warmer air rises over the cool air because it is less dense and therefore lighter
  • This warm air rises and then condenses at higher altitudes, where it falls back down as rain
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4
Q

Describe convectional rainfall

A
  • sun causes temperatures to increase
  • warm air rises, condenses at higher altitudes and falls back down as rain
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5
Q

Describe relief rainfall

A
  • warm air is forced upwards by a barrier such as mountains, where it condenses at the higher altitudes and falls as rain
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6
Q

What are the outputs in the water cycle?

A
  • evapotranspiration
  • streamflow
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7
Q

What is transpiration?

A
  • the movement of water through a plant
  • ends with the water being evaporated
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8
Q

Name and explain the flows in the water cycle

A

Infiltration = water moving into the soil from the ground surface

Percolation = water moving from the soil into porous rock

Throughflow = water flowing through the soil

Groundwater flow = water moving through the porous rock

Surface runoff = water flowing over the surface of the ground

Streamflow = water moving through designated channels

Stemflow = water moving down a plant as a result of interception

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9
Q

What are the stores in the water cycle?

A

Groundwater storage = water stored in the pores of rocks

Soil storage = water stored in the soil

Channel storage = water stored short term in river channels

Surface storage = water stored in bodies of water on the surface of the ground

Interception = water stored by plants before reaching the ground

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10
Q

What is the equation for the water balance?

A

Precipitation = total runoff + evapotranspiration +/- change in storage

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11
Q

Define the water balance

A

The balance between the inputs, outputs and processes within a drainage basin

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12
Q

What is the soil water budget?

A

The annual balance between inputs and outputs in the water cycle and its impact on the soil water storage

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13
Q

Describe the winter soil water budget

A
  • soil moisture recharge
  • water surplus
  • minimum evapotranspiration
  • increase in infiltration and percolation as precipitation refills water stores
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14
Q

Describe the summer soil water budget

A
  • evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation
  • soil water utilisation
  • minimal precipitation
  • can lead to a water deficit if there is a long summer
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15
Q

Name and explain the physical factors affecting the water cycle on a local scale

A

Storm events = large bursts of rainfall saturate the ground quickly
- doesn’t replenish water stores as effectively as prolonged rainfall because it does not allow for percolation to occur as much, instead increases surface runoff

Seasonal changes
- summer = low precipitation, high evapotranspiration
- winter = high precipitation, minimal evapotranspiration, less interception (plants have no leaves)

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16
Q

Name and explain the human factors affecting the water cycle on a local scale

A

Deforestation - reduction in interception means soil gets saturated more quickly (higher rate of infiltration), reduction in percolation and an increase in surface runoff

Urbanisation - impermeable surfaces minimise surface runoff and percolation, and instead increase surface runoff and streamflow

Farming practices
Pastoral farming = livestock trampling on the ground reduces infiltration because the soil becomes more compact
Arable farming = crops can actually increase interception, however drainage ditches being made around the land can increase streamflow and surface runoff