Water and Carbon Cycle

Question 1

system

Answer 1

• an assemblage of stors and flows that work together by a driving process

Question 2

key parts of a system

Answer 2

• inputs
• stores / components
• flows / transfers
• outputs

Question 3

systems concepts

Answer 3

• all held within a boundary
• generalisations of reality
• function by materials being processed along the way
• material flows from one component to the other

Question 4

elements

Answer 4

• key parts of a system

Question 5

attributes

Answer 5

• key characteristics of the elements

Question 6

relationships

Answer 6

• how the different elements work together to form a process

Question 7

boundary

Answer 7

• the edge of a particular system
• may overlap with other systems
• transition can be abrupt or gradual

Question 8

types of systems

Answer 8

• open
• closed
• isolated

Question 9

open system

Answer 9

• both mass and energy are allowed to transfer across the system boundary
• may be a flow of energy and matter in and out of the system

Question 10

closed system

Answer 10

• there may be a flow of energy in and out, but no matter flow takes place across the system boundary
• has a fixed mass

Question 11

inputs

Answer 11

• energy or material moving into the system from the outside

Question 12

outputs

Answer 12

• energy or material moving from the system to the outside

Question 13

energy

Answer 13

• power or driving force

Question 14

store / components

Answer 14

• the individual parts or elements of a system

Question 15

flow / transfers

Answer 15

• the links or relationships between the components and how they work together to carry out some type of process

Question 16

drainage basin inputs

Answer 16

• precipitation

Question 17

drainage basin outputs

Answer 17

• evaporation
• transpiration
• river discharge

Question 18

drainage basin stores

Answer 18

• interception
• surface storage
• soil moisture
• groundwater

Question 19

drainage basin flows

Answer 19

• surface runoff
• infiltration
• percolation
• groundwater flow
• throughflow
• stem flow

Question 20

positive feedback

Answer 20

• where the effects of an action are increased or multiplied by its subsequent or secondary ‘knock on’ effects

Question 21

negative feedback

Answer 21

• where the effects of an action are reduced or stopped by its subsequent ‘knock on’ effects

Question 22

dynamic equilibrium

Answer 22

• the inputs and outputs are equal
• matter will pass through the system and the amount of matter in the stores will remain the same

Question 23

precipitation

Answer 23

• rain, sleet, snow or hail that falls or condenses on the ground

Question 24

interception

Answer 24

• the process of interrupting the movement of water in the chain of transportation events

Question 25

surface storage

Answer 25

• the total volume of water held per unit area
• lakes, ponds and puddles

Question 26

infiltration

Answer 26

• when water moves into the ground from the surface and begins to soak into the soil or rock layers underneath

Question 27

soil water

Answer 27

• the amount of water that can be stored in the soil particles and is available for growing crops

Question 28

percolation

Answer 28

• the movement of water through the soil itself

Question 29

groundwater

Answer 29

• water stored in all the pores, cracks, and space between rock particles deep underground

Question 30

transpiration

Answer 30

• water rises as vapour from the plants roots to leaves and is released into the atmosphere

Question 31

evaporation

Answer 31

• process that changes liquid water into water vapour

Question 32

surface runoff

Answer 32

• precipitation that falls on land and flows downhill towards streams

Question 33

throughflow

Answer 33

• water flows downhill within the soil

Question 34

groundwater flow

Answer 34

• the slow movement of water underground

Question 35

river channel

Answer 35

• landform consisting of the outline of path of relatively shalllow and narrow body of fluid

Question 36

evapotranspiration

Answer 36

• water vapour comes out of leaves

Question 37

stem flow

Answer 37

• water lands on plants and runs down their stems

Question 38

lithosphere

Answer 38

• contains all of the solid rock found on and in our planet
• extends to a depth of 100km (60 miles) from the crust to the upper mantle

Question 39

hydrosphere

Answer 39

• contains all of the water found on and in our planet
• 71% of earth’s surface
• 1.4 billion cubic km (326 million cubic miles)

Question 40

cryosphere

Answer 40

• contains all of the solid precipitation found in and on our planet
• 13% of earth’s surface area
• 68 million km2

Question 41

biosphere

Answer 41

• contains all of the life found on and in our planet
• around 20 kilometers (12 miles) from top to bottom

Question 42

atmosphere

Answer 42

• contains all of the gases that surround our planet
• stretches from the surface of the planet up to as far as 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles)

Question 43

impacts on the water cycle

Answer 43

• deforestation
• storm events
• seasonal changes