Hydrological cycle Flashcards
key processes of the water cycle that you are most likely to remember?
precipitation, surface storage, infiltration, evaporation, river channel and percolation
what is precipitation?
is any water that forms in the atmosphere and then drops onto the surface of the Earth.
surface storage
is water, from rain, snow-melt, or other sources, that flows over the land surface,
infiltration
is the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil
percolation
What here the water moves downwards through the soil
evaporation
substance in liquid state changes to gaseous state due to an increase in temp and/or pressure
the hell is a drainage basin bitch?
area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean.
Input for a drainage basin
precipitation
stores for a drainage basin
surface storage
vegetation
channel
interception
outputs for a drainage basin
evaporation
transfers for a drainage basin
surface run off
percolation
infiltration
A drainage basin has an open system - inputs, storage, transfers and outputs
discus the movement of water in a drainage basin
- Exam question/ might appear
Water enters a drainage basin through precipitation, which is any form of water falling from the atmosphere for instance rain from clouds. Condensation also acts as an input as water particals turn into Vapor and fall onto the earth’s surface. The drainage basin storage size can be determined by how much of this water has fallen from the atmosphere into the basin. Percolation can occur where this water moves down into the soil from the main rivers Chanel. A process in which this water can leave the drainage basin is through evaporation when the water turns into a gas state due to heat and evaporates back up into the atmosphere again.
- 5 marks
The features of a drainage basin
the source, channel, tributary’s (the thin ones,) confluence (when two tributary’s join,) mouth and the watershed (outline)
formation of a waterfall
waterfalls are formed when hard rock overlays soft rock
the less resistant rock erodes first, its eroded by the 4 main process, hydraulic action, attrition, abrasion and solution
hard rock overhanging the plunge pool collapses as weight isn’t supported
as waterfall retreats upstream it leaves a gorge
a waterfall with a plunge pool is created
How does River erosion happen
The fastest flow of water is on the outside of the bends. This results in erosion on one side. Deposition happens on the other slower current side of river. A steep river bottom is created by erosion with material suspension being created.
