Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

A Level Geography > Water > Flashcards

Water Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
U.S. Geography flashcards World Geography flashcards
1
Q

What is a store?

A

Reservoir where water is stored.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the cryosphere?

A

Areas of earth where water is frozen into snow or ice.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the systems approach?

A

These study hydrological phenomena by looking at the balance of inputs and outputs and how water is moved between stores and flows.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is an open system?

A

Received inputs from and transfers outputs of energy to other systems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is a closed system?

A

There is a fixed amount of water on Earth and atmosphere system. No external inputs or outputs - H20 is constant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is blue water?

A

Water stored in rivers, streams, lakes and groundwater in liquid form

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is green water?

A

Water stored in soil and vegetation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What 2 types of water are classed as non renewable?

A

Fossil water

Cryosphere losses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is fossil water?

A

Untapped ancient stores of water that exist in the polar regions and below deserts in the form of aquifers

Eg Kenya’s Lotikipi Aquifer contains 200 bb km3 of freshwater

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is cryosphere losses?

A

Major ice sheets store water for very long periods eg Antarctica
Largely locked up in snowflakes, ice sheets, glaciers, water supply is inaccessible to humans.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What 2 processes drive the hydrological cycle?

A

Solar Energy

GPE

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Describe polar hydrology?

A

Freeze thaw / seasonal changes / differences

Winter snow Insulates the ground

Permafrost creates impermeable surfaces

Frozen lakes and rivers

Limited vegetation

Annual precipitation less than 200mm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Describe tropical rainforest hydrology?

A

Few seasonal differences

Dense vegetation consumes 75% of precipitation.

Limited surface water infiltration.

Rainforests are cloud factories

Annual precio is over 2000mm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the 3 conditions for rainfall?

A

Air that is cooled to saturation point with a humidity of 100%

Condensation nuclei, such as dust particles to facilitate growth of water droplets in clouds.

A temperature below dew point (the temp at which dew forms)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Describe how frontal rainfall forms?

A

As air rises it cools and it’s ability to hold water vapour decreases.

This happens when warm lighter air is forced to rise over cold, dense air

Condensation occurs and clouds and rain form.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Describe the process of the formation of conventional rainfall?

A

If land becomes hot the air above it becomes warmer and expands and rises.

As it rises the air cools and its ability to hold water vapour decreases.

Condensation occurs and clouds develop.

If air continues to rise; the rain will fall.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Describe the formation of orographic rainfall?

A

When air is forced to rise over a barrier (eg a Mountain) it cools and condenses.

As the cloud forms, precipitation occurs

The leeward (downward) slope receives little rain, this is known as the rain shadow effect.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is infiltration?

A

The process by which water is absorbed by the soil, can be impacted by the soil type and slope angle

19
Q

What is interception?

A

The process by which water is stored in vegetation. 3 types = interception loss (retained by plants)

Through fall = water drops from leaves

Stem Flow = water trickles along branches and stems

20
Q

What’s te the 3 outputs to the hydrological cycle?

A

Evaporation

Transpiration

Channel flow - water travelling in river channels

21
Q

What factors affect evaporation / transpiration?

A

Hours of sunlight

Temperature

Humidity

Wind speed

Size and depth of water

Vegetation cover

Surface colour.

22
Q

How does temperature affect evaporation / transpiration?

A

As temperature increases, the rate of evapotranspiration also increases
This is because the stomata activities that take place in the plant vary with temp. When temperatures are high, evaporation increases because there is a higher amount of energy available to convert liquid water into water vapour. At higher temperatures stomata open and release more water vapour into the atmosphere.

23
Q

How does wind speed affect transpiration / evaporation?

A

Higher wind speed = increases rate of evaporation and transpiration.

Air is moving faster which means that more water vapour can be taken up. Also at higher wind speeds, areas of humidity around the plant are pushed away faster, meaning that humidity cannot slow transpiration.

24
Q

What is a drainage basin?

A

Area of land drained by a river and its tributaries .

25
Q

What is the watershed?

A

Boundary of the drainage basin, usually a ridge of high land which divides abs separates the water flowing into different rivers.

26
Q

What physical factors can affect drainage basin features?

A

Climate

Soil type

Geology

Relief

Vegetation

27
Q

What human factors can impact a drainage basin?

A

Deforestation - less interception and transpiration, precipitation levels etc

Changes in land use - urbanisation leads to increased use of imperator surfaces = increased run off etc

Water extraction - water extracted for drinking water. If water is over extracted then the drainage basin will have less water in etc

28
Q

What is the water budget?

A

Annual balance between inputs and outputs in the water cycle.

29
Q

What is the water budget equation?

A

Precipitation = run off (surface discharge ) + evapotranspiration + changes in storage.

30
Q

Why are soil moisture budgets useful?

A

Can identify need for irrigation in agriculture

Impact on soil moisture availability in different climatic condition useful for understanding the vulnerability of terrestrial ecosystems

31
Q

What are river regimes?

A

Describe the annual variation in discharge of a river. Measured at particular point or gauging station and measured in Cumecs.

32
Q

What factors can influence river regimes?

A

Size of River Basin

Amount, pattern and precipitation intensity

Temperatures

Geology and Soil Type

Vegetation Cover

Human Activities.

33
Q

What is lag time?

A

Difference in hours and minutes between the time of maximum precipitation and peak discharge.

34
Q

What is the rising limb?

A

Increase in discharge as a result of surface run off and through flow from a rainfall event until peak flow is reached.

35
Q

What factors affect river discharge and the shape of a storm hydrographs?

A

Drainage basin size

Drainage basin shape

Drainage basin relief

Soil type

Rock type

Drainage density

Natural vegetation

Land Use

Precipitation intensity

Precipitation duration

Snowfall

Evapotranspiration

36
Q

What 5 strategies are used as sustainable draining systems?

A

Green roofs

Infiltration basins

Permeable pavements

Rainwater harvesting

Soak Away

37
Q

What are green roofs?

A

Vegetation cover planted over a waterproof membrane on flat roofs

38
Q

What’s an infiltration basin?

A

Shallow depressions dug out to delay the run off and increase infiltration

39
Q

What are permeable pavements?

A

Gaps are put in between pavement slabs to delay run off

40
Q

What is rainfall harvesting?

A

Collecting rainfall from roofs to be recycled, eg for watering plants in the garden

Channels dug out to dispense surface water into the ground.

41
Q

What is a flood?

A

When river exceeds its banks full discharge

42
Q

How does sheep farming in Cumbria increase the flood risk?

A

Overgrazing leads to bare slopes as vegetation is removed, this leads to reduced interception due to less vegetation and also leads to an increase in overland flow = lag times are reduced and higher discharge peak

Trampled soil makes it more compact also reducing infiltration further, increasing flood risk.

43
Q

How has mismanagement lead to flooding in Cumbria?

A

5m flood defences put into place but lack of dredging led to to raising river banks therefore the height of the flood defences required was underestimated and the river Greta in Keswick flooded over the banks.

A Level Geography (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions