Water cycle Flashcards

1
Q

System

A

An assemblage of interrelated parts that work together by way of a driving process

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2
Q

Open system

A

Matter and energy transferred in/out of system boundary

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3
Q

Closed system

A

Energy transferred in/out of system boundary e.g. water cycle

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4
Q

Isolated system

A

No energy/matter transferred in/out of system boundary

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5
Q

Stores

A

Parts of the system where energy/mass is stored/transferred

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6
Q

Components/elements

A

Things that make up the system of interest

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7
Q

Attributes

A

Perceived characteristics of elements

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8
Q

Relationships

A

How elements and attributes interact to carry out a process

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9
Q

Dynamic equilibrium

A

Balance between inputs and outputs with unchanging store magnitude, preserved by negative feedback, disrupted by positive feedback

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10
Q

Earth system

A

Closed system with four major open subsystems (atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere) to form a cascading system

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11
Q

Water stores

A

Oceanic, cryospheric, terrestrial, atmospheric. Not evenly distributed worldwide (Antarctic ice caps, NW Saharan aquifers). Transfers over time

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12
Q

Water remains in shallow groundwater stores for how long

A

100-200 years

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13
Q

Water remains in deep groundwater stores for how long

A

10,000 years

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14
Q

Water remains in seasonal snow cover for how long

A

2-6 months

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15
Q

Water remains in glaciers for how long

A

20-100 years

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16
Q

What % of the Earth’s water is saline

A

97.5%

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17
Q

Of the % freshwater, what % is snow and ice

A

68.7%. 95% in 2 ice sheets covering Antarctica and Greenland. Long and short term storage

18
Q

Of the % freshwater, what % is aquifers

A

30.1%. Can be fossil (NW Sahara), saline, etc.

19
Q

Of the % freshwater, what % is surface and other

20
Q

Relief rainfall

A

Warm moist ocean air hits highland, rises, cools, and condenses, causing rainfall and a rain shadow on the other side

21
Q

Convectional rainfall

A

Evaporation saturates air to be energetic and unstable, it then rises with particles bumping into each other making charge, at dew point temp this forms storms

22
Q

Frontal rainfall

A

Warm and cold air from equators and poles meet, different densities don’t mix so warmer rises, cools, and condenses to rain. Temperature inversion forms fog

23
Q

Global atmospheric circulation model

A

Explains cloud formation and precipitation varying with time and space. Inter-tropical convergence zone, local variance with storms, mid-latitude cloud formation from air convergence and jet streams

24
Q

Glacial cycle significance

A

Currently in interglacial period where ablation>accumulation so functional hydrological cycle, in past interglacial 50m higher water levels

25
P=
Q+E+-change in storage
26
Water budget graph
Months on x-axis, mean precipitation on y-axis, mean evapotranspiration on z-axis
27
Flashy hydrograph
Flood, short lag time
28
Subdued hydrograph
No flood, long lag time
29
Physical factors affecting lag time
Gradient, antecedent rainfall, geology, vegetation, rainfall amount and intensity, basin size, drainage density
30
Human factors affecting lag time
De/afforestation, agriculture, urbanisation, flood alleviation schemes, water abstraction
31
Physical factors affecting water cycle
Rock permeability, evaporation rate, precipitation, drought, soil, topography, desertification, extreme weather events
32
Human factors affecting water cycle
Climate change, de/afforestation, agriculture, land use, urbanisation, abstraction, desertification, irrigation
33
Effect of drought on the water cycle example
2012-16 Californian drought
34
Effect of land use changes on the water cycle
Mainly from urbanisation and deforestation
35
Effect of seasonal changes on the water cycle
Affect soil water, river channel flow, evaporation, vegetation and precipitation
36
Effect of farming practice on the water cycle - UK
East Anglian Fens and Somerset levels drained to farm, 584m tonnes C in English peatlands, lowered water table so friable peat and Fen Blows, still floods e.g. 2014 Somerset
37
Effect of farming practice on the water cycle - global
Perforated plastic tube network below soil surface for drainage, aerates soil, Ohio State University shows for $1 spent on corn/soy $1.20-1.90 back. However, nitrate loss, expensive, more throughflow, eutrophication, dry topsoil
38
Effect of abstraction on the water cycle - Middle East
Aquifers in danger of depletion so use nets to stop evaporation
39
Effect of abstraction on the water cycle - Malta
Must desalinise as saline intrusion
40
Effect of abstraction on the water cycle - Greek Argolid Plains
400m deep seawater contaminated boreholes
41
Effect of abstraction on the water cycle - London
Chalk-basal sands aquifer overabstracted in 19th and 20th century so in 1960s 88m below sea level. Deindustrialised, rise at 3m/yr, threatened London Basin, 2000-14 GARDIT, E,C+S fell