Water Cycle Flashcards
Flow/ transfer
When matter or energy moves from one store to another
Input
When matter or energy is moving into the system from outside
Output
When matter or energy is moving from the system to the outside
Store/ component
The individual elements or parts of a system
Open system ( local scale)- drainage basin
Inputs and outputs of Energy and Matter can be transferred into the the surrounding environment
Closed system (global scale)- global water cycle
Inputs and outputs of energy transferred into and beyond the system but matter is not ( only cycled between stores)
Isolated system
No interactions with anything outside the system
Types of inputs
- Precipitation
Types of storage (6)
- Interception= it is precipitation that is trapped by vegetation
- Surface storage= an impermeable surface ( ponds and puddles)
- Soil water storage or moisture storage= water stored within the soil between pods ( plant roots)
- Ground water storage= water stored in saturated ground
- Channel storage= water stored in river channel
- Vegetation storage= water stored in dead plants
Types of transfers (6)
- Throughfall= when water falls of leaves
- Stem flow= transfer of water down through stems and trunks
- Infiltration= water transferring into the ground
- Percolation= vertical flow of water through the ground
- Throughflow= lateral flow of water through the ground ( hill slope, or animal boroughs)
- Ground water flow (base water flow)= transfer of water from the ground into stream and rivers
Types of outputs (4)
- Transpiration
- Evaporation
- River runoff
- Channel flow
Positive feedback
The effects of an action are amplified by subsequent knock on effects ( human interventions)
Negative feedback
The effects of an action are nullified by its subsequent knock on effects- helps to maintain the state of dynamic equilibrium
Dynamic equilibrium
Inputs and outputs are in balance
Earths major stores of water
- Lithosphere
- Biosphere
- Cryosphere
- Hydrosphere
- Atmosphere
