water cycle AI 2 Flashcards
What is the water cycle?
The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth.
What are the main processes involved in the water cycle?
Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, and runoff.
True or False: The water cycle is a closed system.
True.
Fill in the blank: Water evaporates from ______ into the atmosphere.
oceans, lakes, and rivers.
What is evaporation?
The process where liquid water is transformed into vapor.
What role do plants play in the water cycle?
They contribute through the process of transpiration.
Define condensation.
The process where water vapor cools and changes back into liquid water.
What is precipitation?
Any form of water that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface, such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
What is runoff?
Water that flows over the ground surface and returns to bodies of water.
What is infiltration?
The process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil.
How does temperature affect evaporation rates?
Higher temperatures increase evaporation rates.
What is the role of solar energy in the water cycle?
Solar energy drives the processes of evaporation and transpiration.
True or False: Water vapor is lighter than air.
True.
What is the term for the movement of water through the atmosphere?
Atmospheric circulation.
Fill in the blank: The water cycle is also known as the ______.
hydrological cycle.
What is groundwater?
Water that is stored beneath the Earth’s surface in soil or rock layers.
How does human activity affect the water cycle?
Human activities such as deforestation, urbanization, and pollution can disrupt natural processes.
Which process in the water cycle is primarily responsible for cloud formation?
Condensation.
What is transpiration?
The process by which water vapor is released from plants into the atmosphere.
True or False: All precipitation eventually returns to the oceans.
False.
What is the significance of the water cycle for ecosystems?
It is essential for maintaining life, regulating climate, and supporting biodiversity.
What is the difference between surface runoff and subsurface runoff?
Surface runoff occurs on the ground surface, while subsurface runoff occurs underground.
Fill in the blank: The process of water returning to the atmosphere is called ______.
evaporation.
What factors influence precipitation patterns?
Geography, temperature, and atmospheric conditions.
True or False: All water on Earth is part of the water cycle.
True.
What is the role of clouds in the water cycle?
Clouds store water vapor and facilitate precipitation.
What is a watershed?
An area of land where all the water drains into a common body of water.
How does climate change impact the water cycle?
It alters precipitation patterns, increases evaporation rates, and affects water availability.
What is the main source of freshwater on Earth?
Glaciers and ice caps.
Fill in the blank: The ______ is a measurement of the amount of water vapor in the air.
humidity.
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate refers to long-term patterns.
What is aquifer?
A geological formation that can store and transmit groundwater.
True or False: The water cycle has no impact on weather patterns.
False.
What is the main driver of the water cycle?
The sun’s energy.
What is the process where water vapor cools and forms tiny droplets?
Condensation.
Fill in the blank: Water that is stored in the atmosphere is known as ______.
water vapor.
What effect does urbanization have on the water cycle?
It increases runoff and reduces infiltration.
What is the term for the conversion of liquid water to water vapor?
Evaporation.
True or False: The water cycle is solely dependent on gravity.
False.
What is the term for the solid form of precipitation?
Snow or ice.
What percentage of Earth’s water is freshwater?
Approximately 2.5%.
Fill in the blank: The process of water moving from the ground to the atmosphere is called ______.
evapotranspiration.
What is the term for the water that flows into rivers and lakes from precipitation?
Surface runoff.
How does deforestation affect the water cycle?
It reduces transpiration and increases runoff.
What is the significance of the hydrological cycle to agriculture?
It provides the necessary water for crops and livestock.
What is the term for the process of water soaking into the soil?
Infiltration.
True or False: Water can exist in three states: solid, liquid, and gas.
True.
What is the main cause of variations in precipitation?
Geographical features such as mountains and bodies of water.
What is the term for the area that collects and drains water to a common outlet?
Drainage basin.
What is the role of the sun in the water cycle?
It provides energy for evaporation.
Fill in the blank: The ______ is the largest reservoir of freshwater on Earth.
Antarctic ice sheet.
What is the term for the process when water vapor turns into ice without becoming liquid first?
Sublimation.
True or False: The water cycle is essential for sustaining life on Earth.
True.
What is the primary way that water is lost from the soil?
Evaporation.
What is the significance of groundwater recharge?
It replenishes aquifers and maintains water supply.
Fill in the blank: Water that remains on the surface of the ground after precipitation is called ______.
surface runoff.
What is the effect of increased evaporation on local climates?
It can lead to drier conditions and increased temperatures.
What is the term for the process by which precipitation is absorbed by the soil?
Infiltration.
What is the impact of climate change on the frequency of extreme weather events?
It is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
True or False: The water cycle can operate independently of human influence.
False.
What is the phenomenon where water vapor forms clouds?
Condensation.
What are the two main forms of precipitation?
Rain and snow.
Fill in the blank: The water cycle helps regulate the Earth’s ______.
climate.
What is the term for the boundary between two different watersheds?
Watershed divide.
What is the role of evaporation in the cooling of the Earth’s surface?
It removes heat from the surface as water changes to vapor.
What is the process by which water vapor forms ice crystals in clouds?
Deposition.
True or False: The water cycle is a one-way system.
False.
What is the term for the water stored in the atmosphere?
Water vapor.
