Water And Carbon Keywords Flashcards

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1
Q

Positive feedback

A

Amplifies the effect

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2
Q

Negative feedback

A

Reduces the effect

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3
Q

River regime

A

The variability in the rivers discharge, precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration and drainage basin throughout the year

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4
Q

Hydrosphere

A

The sphere that includes all water on earth; cryosphere, biosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere

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5
Q

Dynamic equilibrium

A

The balence of inputs and outputs

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6
Q

Sublimation

A

Transfer of state from solid to gas

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7
Q

Latent heat

A

The emission of heat when water changes state

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8
Q

Infiltration

A

When water is infiltrated into the ground through the gaps in the soil

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9
Q

Ice

A

A large store of water in frozen state

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10
Q

Oceans

A

Large stores of carbon and water

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11
Q

Carbon

A

What everything is made up of and a greenhouse gas

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12
Q

Respiration

A

The use of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide

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13
Q

Anthropogenic

A

This is a human induce factor or change

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14
Q

Wild fires

A

The emission of large stores of carbon mostly caused by human factors

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15
Q

Farming practices

A

Cattles farming causes large methane production, soil cultivating causes the release of carbon stores etc.

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16
Q

Ocean acidification

A

The mixing of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases with the ocean making it more acidic

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17
Q

Sea ice melt

A

The annual melting if sea ice which doesn’t affect sea level rise

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18
Q

IPCC

A

Intergoverment panel on climate change

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19
Q

Hydrograph

A

A graph showing the rate of flow of discharge with important features like lag time, peak rainfall and descending limb

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20
Q

Transpiration

A

The movement of water through the plant being released mainly due to heat through the stem and leaves

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21
Q

Throughflow

A

The horizontal flow of water through the soil typically flow to the ground surface

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22
Q

Fossil fuels

A

Long time stores of carbon due to high pressure, are being burned for energy

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23
Q

Biomass

A

The total weight of organisms living in a found area

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24
Q

Fluxes

A

Continuous charges or movements

25
Q

Quaternary period

A

A period of time from 2.6 million years to present day

26
Q

Milankovitch cycles

A

The three cycles of eccentricity, Axial tilt and precession

27
Q

Volcanic eruptions

A

When a volcano erupts resulting in huge amounts of sulphur and carbon dioxide to be released

28
Q

Deforestation

A

The cutting down of trees for industry reducing the amount of carbon stores and reparation processes

29
Q

Carbon sequestration

A

A natural or artificial process in which carbon is removed from the atmosphere and put into stores

30
Q

Greenhouse effect

A

The trapping of the suns radiation in the lower atmosphere causing the earth to warm up

31
Q

Carbon budget

A

The amount of carbon a gained and lost in processes

32
Q

Mitigation

A

Preparing for an event

33
Q

Kyoto protocol

A

An international agreement which limits carbon emissions from countries

34
Q

What are the human causes for climate change?

A
  1. Fossil Fuels
  2. Farming practises
  3. Deforestation
  4. Urbanisation
35
Q

What is geological sequestration?

A

When CO2 is captured and then injected into the ground for long term storage

36
Q

What is Terrestrial/Biological sequestration?

A

This is where carbon is stored in plants, the soil and the rocks

37
Q

What political initiatives have been set up to reduce climate change?

A
  1. The intergovernmental panel on climate change
  2. The kyoto protocol
  3. The Paris agreement
38
Q

What national frameworks have been set up to reduce climate change?

A
  1. Regional commitments

2. Bilateral commitments

39
Q

Radiative forcing

A

The difference between the incoming solar energy absorbed by the earth and the energy radiated back to space

40
Q

Ice cap

A

Glacial land that is less then 50,000Km^2

41
Q

Ice sheet

A

Glacial land which is more than 50,000Km^2

42
Q

Fusion

A

When a solid becomes a liquid and vice versa

43
Q

Vaporisation

A

When a liquid becomes a gas and vice versa

44
Q

Isolated systems

A

Completely closed systems in which nothing leaves not even energy

45
Q

Closed systems

A

These are systems that allow the transfer of energy but not the transfer of matter

46
Q

Open systems

A

This is where both matter and energy can transfer freely

47
Q

Discharge

A

The amount of water passing a point per second

48
Q

How are clouds formed near the equator?

A
  1. Water gains enough energy through latent heat to break its bonds and evaporate
  2. Water vapour then condenses around a particulate as it has lost energy, hence too heavy
  3. Then falls as precipitation in the intertropical convergence zone
49
Q

How are clouds formed in polar and sub polar climates?

A
  1. Two wave fronts meet, one being warm and the other being cold
  2. The warm front carries water vapour and latent heat, which the cold front carries only cold temperatures
  3. The cold temperatures meet the warm water vapour causing condensation
  4. Condensed water then can fall as precipitation
50
Q

Watershed

A

An area or ridge of land that separates water flowing to different rivers

51
Q

Local scale

A

Plants

52
Q

Sere scale

A

Deciduous woodland

53
Q

Continental

A

Geological

54
Q

Sere

A

Vegetation succession that relates to a specific environment

55
Q

Biological pump

A

Where organisms die and are then stored on the sea bed

56
Q

Deep water mixing

A

Where carbon is taken in by the ocean and hence sinks, when heated it then rises again

57
Q

How does a colder climate affect the carbon cycle?

A
  1. Cold rainwater holds more CO2 so chemical weathering is more active
  2. Decomposers are less active due to climate
  3. more carbon stored in ice
58
Q

How does a warmer climate affect the carbon cycle?

A
  1. Melting of permafrost releases gases

2. Leads to a positive feedback system