Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

A-Level Geography > Water and Carbon Cycle > Flashcards

Water and Carbon Cycle Flashcards

1
Q

System

A

A set of interrelated components working together towards some kind of process

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

Closed systems

A

These have no interactions with anything outside the system boundary. There are no inputs or outputs

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

Open system

A

These are where matter and energy can enter and exit a system

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

Dynamic equilibrium

A

A state of balance

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

Positive feedback loop

A

Where the effects of an action are amplified by knock-on effects

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

Negative feedback loops

A

Where the effects of an action a nullified by its subsequent knock-on effects

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

Name the 4 major subsystems (spheres)

A

Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere and biosphere

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

Cryospheric water

A

The water on earth’s surface that is ice

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

Discharge

A

The amount of water in a river flowing past a particular point

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

What percentage of water is fresh water

A

3%

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

What percentage of fresh water is easily accesible

A

1%

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

What is the current PH of the ocean

A

8.14

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

Permafrost

A

Ground the remains at or below 0 degrees for at least two consecutive years

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

Terrestrial water

A

This consists of groundwater, soil moisture, lakes, wetlands and rivers

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

Cyrosphere

A

Those areas of the earth’s surface where water is in solid form

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

What are the 4 classes of terrestial water

A

-Surface water
-Groundwater
-soil water
-Biological water

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

Surface water

A

The free-flowing water of rivers as well as the water of ponds and lakes

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

Water table

A

The upper level at which the pore spaces and fractures in the ground become saturated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Sublimation

A

The process of a solid turning into a gas

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Accumulation

A

The process of adding snow and ice to a glacier

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

ablation

A

the process of removing snow or ice from a glacier or snowfield through melting, evaporation, sublimation, or wind

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the two cryospheric processes

A

-Accumulation
-Ablation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Condensation

A

The process by which water vapour changes to liquid water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Cryospheric processes

A

Those processes that effects the total mass of ice at any scale

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Drainage basin

A

This is an area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Evapotranspiration

A

The total output of water from the drainage basin directly back into the atmosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Groundwater flow

A

The slow movement of water through underlying rocks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Infiltration

A

The downward movement of water from the surface to the soil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Interception

A

The precipitation that falls on the vegetation surfaces or human-made cover and is temporarily stored there

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Overland flow/Surface run-off

A

The tendency of water to flow horizontally across land surfaces

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Percolation

A

The downward movement of water within the rock under the soil surface

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Run-off

A

All the water that enters a river channel and eventually flows out of the drainage basin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

saturated

A

This applies to any water store that has reached it’s maximum capacity

34
Q

Stemflow

A

The portion of precipitation that reaches the ground by flowing down stems, stalks and tree boles

35
Q

Throughfall

A

The portion of precipitation that reaches the ground directly through the gaps in the vegetation canopy

36
Q

Throughflow

A

The movement of water downslope through the sub-soil under the influence of gravity

37
Q

Transpiration

A

The loss of water from vegetation through pores (stomata) on their surfaces

38
Q

Water balance

A

The balance between the inputs and output of the drainage basin

39
Q

Aquifer

A

A body of permeable rock which can contain or transmit groundwater

40
Q

River Regime

A

The annual variation in the amount of water flowing through a river or its discharge

41
Q

Precipitation equation

A

Precipitation (P) = discharge (Q) + evapotranspiration (E) + or - changes in storage (S)

42
Q

Potential evapotranspiration

A

The maximum amount of water that would evaporate and transpire from a certain area, if there was enough water available

43
Q

What are the four stages of the water balance graph

A

1) Soil moisture recharge
2) Soil moisture surplus
3) Soil moisture utilisation
4) Soil moisture defecit

44
Q

Bankfull

A

The maximum discharge that a river channel is capable of carrying out without flooding

45
Q

Base flow

A

This represents a normal day-to-day discharge of the river

46
Q

Lag time

A

The time between peak rainfall and peak discharge

47
Q

Peak discharge

A

The point on a flood hydrograph when river discharge is at its greatest

48
Q

Storm flow

A

discharge resulting from storm precipitation involving both overland flow, throughflow and groundwater flow

49
Q

Storm hydrograph

A

A graph of discharge of a river over the time period when the normal flow of the river is affected by a storm event

50
Q

What has occured when a storm hydrograph has a short lag time

A

A flashy flood

51
Q

What has occured when a storm hydrograph has a long lag time

A

A subdued flood

52
Q

What physical attributes cause flashy floods (4 points)

A

-Steep banks
-Drainage basins that are more circular
-High drainage density (Lots of tributaries)
-Large drainage basin

53
Q

Anthropogenic CO2

A

Carbon dioxide generated by human activity

54
Q

Carbon sequestration

A

The capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or capturing anthropogenic CO2

55
Q

Carbon sink

A

A store of carbon that absorbs more carbon that it releases

56
Q

Weathering

A

The breakdown of rocks in situ (stationary) by a combination of weather, plants and animals

57
Q

Examples of Inorganic stores of carbon in the lithosphere

A

Coal, oil, natural gas

58
Q

Examples of organic forms of carbon in the lithosphere

A

Litter, organic substances, humic substances (created when plant and animal remains decompose)

59
Q

What are the main stores of carbon in the biosphere (5 points)

A

-Living vegetation
-Plant litter
-Soil humus
-Peat (partially decayed vegetation)
-Animals

59
Q

How much carbon is in the ocean

A

40,000 GtC

60
Q

Carbon source

A

Where more carbon enters than exists

61
Q

Photosynthesis equation

A

CO2 + H2O + sunlight = CH2O + O2

62
Q

Respiration equation

A

O2 + CH2O = energy + H2O + CO2

63
Q

What is CH2O

A

Carbohydrate

64
Q

Decomposition

A

Physical, chemical and biological mechanisms that transform organic matter into increasingly stable forms

65
Q

Physical mechanisms (Decomposition)

A

Animals, wind and other plants can cause this fragmentation

66
Q

Chemical Mechanisms (Decomposition)

A

These include oxidation and condensation

67
Q

Biological mechanisms (Decomposition)

A

Feeding and digestion aided by the catalytic effect of enzymes

68
Q

What are the three types of decomposition

A

-Physical mechanisms
-Chemical Mechanisms
-Biological mechanisms

69
Q

Decomposers

A

Organisms whose special role is to break down the cells and tissues of dead organisms

70
Q

Vertical deep mixing

A

The important movement of carbon in the ocean as it gets absorbed by warm water and released by cold water

71
Q

Combustion

A

When any organic material is burned in the presence of oxygen to give off products of carbon dioxide, water and energy

72
Q

What percentage of anthropogenic CO2 output comes from land use change

A

30%

73
Q

Geological sequestration

A

CO2 is captured at its source and then injected in liquid form into store underground

74
Q

Terrestrial sequestration

A

This involves using plants to capture CO2 from the atmosphere and then to store it as carbon in the stems and roots of plants as well as in the soil

75
Q

Two types of carbon sequestration

A

-Geologic and terrestrial sequestration
-Biologic sequestration

76
Q

How much has the PH of the ocean changed since 1750

A

A drop of 0.1

77
Q

What is the current rate of sea ice melting

A

12.8 percent per decade

78
Q

Enhanced greehouse effect

A

The impact on the climate from the additional heat retained due to the increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that humans have released into the earth’s atmosphere

79
Q

Geo-sequestration

A

The technology of capturing greenhouse gas emissions from power stations and pumping them into underground reserves

A-Level Geography (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions