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a level geography > WCC > Flashcards

WCC Flashcards

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1
Q

what is systems theory

A

views the world as a complex system of interconnected parts

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2
Q

what is a system

A

a process or collection of processes that transforms inputs into outputs

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3
Q

what 3 kinds of properties are found within a systems bounderies

A

elements - the physical parts that make up a system, eg sand

attributes - characteristics of the elements that can be perceived or measured

relationships - the associations between elements and attributes, based on cause and effect

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4
Q

what is an open system?

A

a system in which both matter and energy are able to transfer across the system boundary

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5
Q

what is a closed system?

A

a system in which only energy, not matter, is able to be transfered across the system boundery

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6
Q

what is dynamic equilibrium

A

the balanced state of a system when it’s inputs and outputs are equal

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7
Q

what is a feedback mechanism

A

a process that uses the conditions of one component to regulate the function of another, in order to regain equilibrium

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8
Q

what is a positive feedback mechanism?

A

when the process tends to increase the change in the system

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9
Q

what is negative feedback?

A

when the process seems to counter the change and maintain equilibrium

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10
Q

what are elements

A

the things that make up the system

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11
Q

what are flows/transfers

A

links between stores or components, along which something moves

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12
Q

what is the system boundary?

A

the edge of the system, the interface between one system and another

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13
Q

what is a store/component

A

a part of a system where something is held for a period of time

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14
Q

what are attributes?

A

the characteristics of the elements of a system (eg. hot/cold)

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15
Q

what is an input

A

a point where something is added to a system

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16
Q

what is an output?

A

a point were something is removed from the system

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17
Q

what kind of system is the hydrological cycle?

A

a closed system, as no water is lost to or gained from space

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18
Q

what kind of system is the drainage basin system?

A

an open system, as water is able to flow into and out of the system boundery

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19
Q

where is water stored?

A

hydrosphere - liquid water
cryosphere - snow or ice
atmosphere - the layer of gas between the earths surface and space
biosphere - water contained in living things

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20
Q

what are underground reservoirs known as?

A

aquifers

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21
Q

what percentage of fresh water is contained in aquifers?

A

30%

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22
Q

when does relief rainfall occur?

A

when warm moist air rises up over mountains, then cools and condenses to form clouds

23
Q

when does frontal rainfall occur?

A

when a warm front meets a cold front, the heavier cold air sinks to the ground and the lighter warm air rises above it, then could and condenses to form clouds, which bring rain

24
Q

when does conventional rainfall occur?

A

when the land warms up, it heats the air above it, which then rises, cools and condenses to form clouds, which bring rain

25
Q

what is precipitation

A

transfer of water from the atmosphere to the ground, in the form of rain, snow, hail sleet or dew

26
Q

what is evaporation

A

the transfer of water from liquid surface water to the atmosphere

27
Q

what is evapotranspiration

A

the transfer of water from the earth’s surface to the atmosphere by the combined efforts of evaporation and transpiration

28
Q

what is condensation

A

the transfer of water from a gaseous state to a liquid state, eg cloud formation

29
Q

what is sublimation

A

transfer of water from a solid state to a gaseous state and vice versa

30
Q

what is interception

A

water intercepted from precipitation by and stored on the leaves of plants

31
Q

what is overland flow?

A

flow of water over the land surface, also known as surface run off

32
Q

what is infiltration?

A

the flow of water from the ground surface into soil

33
Q

what is throughflow?

A

water flowing through the soil towards a river channel

34
Q

what is percolation?

A

water flowing downwards from the soil into the underlying rocks

35
Q

what is groundwater flow?

A

the flow of water very slowly through rocks deep underground

36
Q

how long does water remain in glaciers?

A

10-10,000 years

37
Q

how long does water remain as soil moisture?

A

2 weeks to 1 year

38
Q

how long does water remain as shallow groundwater?

A

100-200 years

39
Q

how long does water remain as deep groundwater?

A

10,000 years

40
Q

how long is water stored in oceans?

A

4,000 years

41
Q

how long is water stored in lakes?

A

10-100 years

42
Q

how long is water stored in the atmosphere?

A

10 days

43
Q

how long is water stored in rivers?

A

2 weeks to 6 months

44
Q

how long is water stored in the biosphere?

A

1 week

45
Q

if all the polar ice sheets melted, how much would sea levels rise?

A

60m

46
Q

what percentage of water is stored in the hydrosphere (liquid water)?

A

96.5%

47
Q

what percentage of water is stored in the cryosphere (frozen water)?

A

1.7%

48
Q

what percentage of water is stored in the atmosphere (gaseous water vapor)

A

0.001%

49
Q

what percentage of water is stored in the lithosphere (groundwater)

A

1.7%

50
Q

how does climate change affect the magnitude of water stores?

A

-melts cryospheric stores
-meltwater increases hydrospheric stores
-at the peak of the last ice age 1/3rd of the earth’s surface was covered by glaciers and ice sheets and sea levels were 100m lower

51
Q

how do cryosphric processes affect the magnitude of water stores?

A

-snow falling on ice sheets gets compressed and enters long term storage, increasing cryospheric stores
-melting ice in the summer decreases cryospheric stores
-melting and snowfall are usually in equilibrium but climate change is changing this

52
Q

how does evaporation change the magnitude of water stores?

A

-transfers water from hydrospheric stores to atmospheric stores
-aprox 90% of atmospheric water is from evaporation and 10% is from transpiration
-high levels of evaporation can occur in tropical and desert areas - regional scale changes
-large regional scale impact

53
Q

how does condensation affect the magnitude of water stores?

A

-water vapour changes back into a liquid state within the atmospheric water store
-no direct change to the magnitude of stores, but leads to cloud formation and precipitation
-

a level geography (10 decks)

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