Water cycle

Question 1

System

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Open system

Answer 2

Matter and energy transferred in/out of system boundary

Question 3

Closed system

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Isolated system

Answer 4

No energy/matter transferred in/out of system boundary

Question 5

Stores

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Components/elements

Answer 6

Things that make up the system of interest

Question 7

Attributes

Answer 7

Perceived characteristics of elements

Question 8

Relationships

Answer 8

How elements and attributes interact to carry out a process

Question 9

Dynamic equilibrium

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Earth system

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Water stores

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Water remains in shallow groundwater stores for how long

Answer 12

100-200 years

Question 13

Water remains in deep groundwater stores for how long

Answer 13

10,000 years

Question 14

Water remains in seasonal snow cover for how long

Answer 14

2-6 months

Question 15

Water remains in glaciers for how long

Answer 15

20-100 years

Question 16

What % of the Earth’s water is saline

Answer 16

97.5%

Question 17

Of the % freshwater, what % is snow and ice

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Of the % freshwater, what % is aquifers

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Of the % freshwater, what % is surface and other

Answer 19

1.2%

Question 20

Relief rainfall

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Convectional rainfall

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Frontal rainfall

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Global atmospheric circulation model

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Glacial cycle significance

Answer 24

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

Question 25

P=

Answer 25

Q+E+-change in storage

Question 26

Water budget graph

Answer 26

Months on x-axis, mean precipitation on y-axis, mean evapotranspiration on z-axis

Question 27

Flashy hydrograph

Answer 27

Flood, short lag time

Question 28

Subdued hydrograph

Answer 28

No flood, long lag time

Question 29

Physical factors affecting lag time

Answer 29

Gradient, antecedent rainfall, geology, vegetation, rainfall amount and intensity, basin size, drainage density

Question 30

Human factors affecting lag time

Answer 30

De/afforestation, agriculture, urbanisation, flood alleviation schemes, water abstraction

Question 31

Physical factors affecting water cycle

Answer 31

Rock permeability, evaporation rate, precipitation, drought, soil, topography, desertification, extreme weather events

Question 32

Human factors affecting water cycle

Answer 32

Climate change, de/afforestation, agriculture, land use, urbanisation, abstraction, desertification, irrigation

Question 33

Effect of drought on the water cycle

Answer 33

2012-16 Californian drought

Question 34

Effect of land use changes on the water cycle

Answer 34

Mainly from urbanisation and deforestation

Question 35

Effect of seasonal changes on the water cycle

Answer 35

Affect soil water, river channel flow, evaporation, vegetation and precipitation

Question 36

Effect of farming practice on the water cycle - UK

Answer 36

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

Question 37

Effect of farming practice on the water cycle - global

Answer 37

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

Question 38

Effect of abstraction on the water cycle - Middle East

Answer 38

Aquifers in danger of depletion so use nets to stop evaporation

Question 39

Effect of abstraction on the water cycle - Malta

Answer 39

Must desalinise as saline intrusion

Question 40

Effect of abstraction on the water cycle - Greek Argolid Plains

Answer 40

400m deep seawater contaminated boreholes

Question 41

Effect of abstraction on the water cycle - London

Answer 41

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