Stores Flashcards
What is hydrospheric water?
layer of water stored on/near the Earth
What percentage of water is stored in the oceans?
96.5%
What is atmospheric water?
water in the atmosphere, the layers of gasses surrounding the planet. it includes clouds and water vapour
What is cryospheric water?
all the frozen water on our planet
What are the types of water in the cryosphere?
- ice caps
- ice sheets
- ice shelves
- ice bergs
- permafrost
- glaciers
What is terrestrial water?
water stored in ground water, soil, rivers, lakes etc.
Which water store has the longest residence time?
ice sheets (e.g Antarctica)
Which water store has the lowest residence time?
atmospheric (10 days)
What processes drive change in water stores?
evaporation, condensation, precipitation, cryospheric processes, drainage basins
What is lithospheric water?
water stored within the planet’s crust (includes terrestrial/cryospheric)
What is biospheric water?
water stored in biological components and ecosystems
Why is atmospheric water important?
- absorbs, reflects and scatters solar energy from the sun
- rapid transport of water around the globe
What is residence time?
the amount of water in a store divided by either the rate of addition of water to the store or the rate of loss from it
What is a drainage basin?
an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point
What are global water stores?
- cryosphere
- hydrosphere
- lithosphere
- atmosphere
- biosphere
