water and carbon cycle Flashcards
what is the definition of a closed system?
a system in which the amount of matter remains constant, but in which energy and matter can be transferred as an input, output or flow
what is the definition of an open system?
a system in which energy and matter can be transferred in, through and out (beyond the boundary of the system).
what is input?
energy and/or matter entering a system
what is output?
energy and/or matter leaving a system
what is a store/ component?
a section of the system in which matter can remain, be added to or removed from.
what is the definition of a flow/transfer?
movement between stores/components in a system
what is a boundary?
the edge of a particular system
what is positive feedback?
occurs within a system where a change causes a further or snowball effect, continuing or even further accelerating the original change; the affects amplified
what is negative feedback?
original change is reduced or reversed
what is atmospheric water?
water found in the atmosphere; mainly water vapour with some liquid water (clouds and rain droplets) and ice crystals
what is the cryosphere?
water locked up on the earths surface as ice
what is the hydrosphere?
a discontinuous layer of water at or near the earths surface. it includes all liquid and frozen surface waters, groundwater held in soil and rock and atmospheric water vapours
what is oceanic water?
the water contained in the earths oceans and seas but not including inland seas such as the caspian sea
what is terrestrial water?
this consists of groundwater,soil moistiure, lakes, wetlands and rivers
what are the 4 major water stores?
-lithosphere
-atmosphere
-hydrosphere
-cryosphere
how much ocean water is there?
covers 72% of the earths surface
how much of the earths water is in the oceanic water stores?
97%
what are the types of terestrial water stores?
-surface water
-groundwater
-soil water
-biological water
what is surface water?
is the free flowing water of rivers as well as lakes
what is groundwater?
water that collects underground in the pore spaces of a rock
what is soil water?
water that is stored in the soil and is available for growing crops
what is biological water?
all of the water stored in plant and animal matter
how long does water stay in deep ground water stores?
10 000 years
how long does water stay in shallow groundwater stores?
100-200 years
how long does water stay in lakes?
50-100 years
how long does water stay in glaciers
20-100 years
how long does water stay in seasonal snow cover?
2-6 months
how long does water stay in rivers?
2-6 months
how long does water stay in soil water stores?
1-2 months
what states does water exist in?
-solid ice
-liquid water
-gas (water vapour)
what state does atmopsheric water usally exist in?
gas
what is sublimation?
water changes directly from solid into gas without becoming liquid
what is deposition?
where gas turns into solid without becoming liquid
what is latent heat?
when water is evaporated it changes its state from a liquid to a gas. this needs energy called latent heat to be extracted from the environment causing a drop in temperature
what does the ITCZ stand for?
intertropical convergance zone
what kind of weather do you get in the ITCZ?
rain and high temperatures
what is accumlation?
the build-up of a glacier due to snow being compacted into ice
what is ablation?
the melting of the ice, mainly during summer months, and usually at the snout end of the glacier