Water Flashcards

1
Q

Explain orographic rainfall

A
In upland areas
Warm moist air rises 
Cools and condenses 
Forming rain 
Forms leeward rain shadow
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2
Q

What is a leeward rain shadow

A

Air descends
Pressure increases
Air contracts and warms
So it is drier on the other side of the mountain

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3
Q

Explain frontal rain

A
Where 2 fronts meet (a cold and warm)
Warm air rises over cold air 
Undercut by colder air 
Fronts never mix and stay separated 
Warm air cools and condenses as it rises 
Forms cumulus clouds
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4
Q

Explain conventional rain

A

The surface ground locally is heated
Air above it is heated by conduction
It rises and cools and condenses
Forming cumulonimbus clouds (heavy rain)

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5
Q

Where does convectional rain happen

A

Tropics because it’s the warmest

Or in the summer

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6
Q

Explain collision theory

A

In tropics
Large amounts of warm moist air rises rapidly
Due to ground heat conduction
The raindrops falling from the top of cloud collide with water particles lower down
Leads to the coalescence of water particles
Droplets get bigger and heavier
So fall as rain

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7
Q

What is Bergeron findeisen theory

A

In the cold areas and high altitudes
Water vapour turns into ice crystals by sublimation due to super cooling
Ice crystals get heavier due to growth of more grazing nuclei
Ice crystals fall
but water vapour stays suspended due to air currents (because h2o is so small)
When it reaches the lower atmosphere the temperature increases so the ice melts due to friction with warmer air

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8
Q

How does urbanisation affect the water cycle

A

Replaces permeable surfaces (grass) with impermeable surfaces (concrete)
Increasing overland flow and surface run off
Reduces infiltration and through flow to soil storage

Decreased interception from trees
Means the rate of precipitation>infiltration
So increased surface run off
Less through flow

Increases flood risk

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9
Q

How much better is infiltration under trees than bare agricultural land

A

67x better

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10
Q

What is an aquifer

A

An underground layer of water bearing Permeable Rock of which groundwater can be extracted
Eg. Chalk

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11
Q

Why does the Uk become a carbon and water source in the winter

A

Deciduous trees lose leaves
Before frontal rain
Rain erodes bare soil due to lack of interception
Litter and soil transported into rivers

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12
Q

Explain the negative feedback cycle in the water cycle

A
Increased precipitation 
More overland flow 
Leaches minerals from soil 
Fewer plants 
Deforestation 
Decreasing precipitation
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13
Q

Exaplain the drainage basin system

A
Evaporation/ transpiration/precipitation 
Interception 
Stem flow
Surface storage 
Surface run off 
Infiltration 
Soil moisture/through flow/channel storage/channel flow
Percolation 
Ground water storage 
Veg storage
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