Water EQ1

Question 1

What is the definition of a system?

Answer 1

Something that is made up of different components that work together in an interconnected way to perform a function.

Question 2

What is a closed system?

Answer 2

A system where only energy can pass into and exit the system.

Question 3

What is a store?

Answer 3

Places where water is held

Question 4

What is a flow?

Answer 4

A process that moves water from one store to another e.g. evaporation

Question 5

What is a flux?

Answer 5

We call a flow a flux if we know a quantity

Question 6

The Earth is an open hydrological system TRUE/FALSE?

Answer 6

FALSE - The Earth is a closed hydrological system because no amount of water can enter or leave the system

Question 7

Why is solar energy important for the Earth’s hydrological system?

Answer 7

It provides energy to move water around the planet alongside gravity.

Question 8

What percentage of the Earth’s water is from the oceans?

Answer 8

96.5%

Question 9

What percentage of the Earth’s water if freshwater?

Answer 9

2.5%

Question 10

Describe the difference between percolation and infiltration

Answer 10

Infiltration is the transition of water from above ground into soil whereas percolation id the downwards movement of water through soil and rock due to gravity.

Question 11

What two processes does evapotranspiration combine (describe)

Answer 11

Combing evaporation from the surface of vegetation and transpiration through plants.

Question 12

Interception and throughfall are often confused, what are their differences?

Answer 12

Interception is rain caught by vegetation before hitting the ground, whereas throughfall is rain that falls through vegetation and reaches the ground

Question 13

What is soil throughflow?

Answer 13

Movement of water not due to gravity in the soil, but due to differences in hydrostatic pressure.

Question 14

Give an example of surface storage?

Answer 14

Lakes, rivers, reservoirs

Question 15

Explain the meaning of term cryoshere

Answer 15

The frozen water part of the Earth’s hydrological system e.g. glaciers

Question 16

Explain the meaning of the term permafrost

Answer 16

If the ground stays frozen at least two year in a row, it may occur in patches or cover a large area.

Question 17

Residency times can be describes as the…

Answer 17

average amount of time a water molecule will stay in a store.

Question 18

The longest residency times are found …

Answer 18

in glaciers and ice caps

Question 19

The shortest residency times are found…

Answer 19

in biospheric water

Question 20

Give an example of a fossil aquifer around the world

Answer 20

The Ogallala aquifer. It was formed under past climate conditions and is no longer being replenished.

Question 21

A drainage basin…

Answer 21

Looks at a hydrological system, at a smaller regional scale. At this scale the system can be classed as an open system as there are inputs and outputs.

Question 22

A watershed it…

Answer 22

The boundary of the drainage basin

Question 23

Name the largest and smallest drainage basins

Answer 23

Largest= Amazon drainage basin = 7.05 millionkm2
Smallest = Tombarasi river = 20m

Question 24

What factors affect the inputs, stores, flows and outputs of a drainage basin?

Answer 24

Climate
Soils
Relief/Topography
Vegetation
Geology
Humans

Question 25

What are the three main causes of precipitation?

Answer 25

Orographic Convectional Frontal

Question 26

Describe orographic rainfall

Answer 26

Caused by the relief of the land forcing water vapour to rise and cool

Question 27

Describe convectional rainfall

Answer 27

Caused by the heating of the Earth's surface leading to more buoyant parcels of humid air rising

Question 28

Describe frontall rainfall

Answer 28

Caused by warmer air masses rising above denser, colder air masses

Question 29

What is a monsoon climate?

Answer 29

The increase in temperature in coastal regions causes a formation of rain clouds and more monsoons to fall

Question 30

How can humans disrupt the flows and stores within a drainage basin 4 factors

Answer 30

Deforestation Urbanisation Over abstraction Hydroelectric schemes Irrigation for available farming

Question 31

State and explain three impacts of deforestation on the hydrological system

Answer 31

Reduced tree cover, increased surface run off leading to more flood prone rivers and soil-erosion Reduced evapotranspiration leads to less water vapour decreasing precipitation It can degrade soils, degraded soils can't hold water

Question 32

What is driving deforestation in the Amazon basin?

Answer 32

70-80% of deforestation occurs due to cattle farming 20-30% is Soybean and palm oil production

Question 33

A river regime is...

Answer 33

The difference in the discharge of the river throughout the year

Question 34

Define Soil Moisture surplus

Answer 34

Precipitation is greater than potential evapotranspiration and the soil water store is full

Question 35

Define Soil Moisture Utilisation

Answer 35

Potential evapotranspiration increases and exceeds precipitation. Water is gradually used up.

Question 36

Define soil moisture deficiency

Answer 36

The soil water store has been used up by high rates of evapotranspiration and low precipitation

Question 37

Define soil moisture recharge

Answer 37

When potential evapotranspiration decreases so that it's lower than precipitation

Question 38

What is Field Capacity?

Answer 38

At this point the soil is full of water and can't hold anymore

Question 39

What is a simple river regime? Give an example

Answer 39

A simple river regime has a distinctive low flow and high flow season e.g. The Rhone basin

Question 40

What is a complex river regime? Give an example

Answer 40

A complex river regime tends to affect larger rivers as they are affected by multiple high flow and low flow seasons e.g. The Nile River

Question 41

A flood hydrograph is how a river responds after a rainfall event. TRUE/FALSE?

Answer 41

TRUE

Question 42

What are some factors affecting the shape of a hydrograph?

Answer 42

Geology Intensity of rainfall Human intervention Topography Vegetation Urbanisation

Question 43

What is the difference between a 'flashy' and a 'flat' river?

Answer 43

A 'flashy' river has a high peak discharge, steep rising limb and a short lag time, whereas a 'flat' river has a low peak discharge, gentle rising limb and a long lag time.