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Earth Life Support Systems > 1a > Flashcards

1a Flashcards

1
Q

The importance of water in supporting life on the planet (all)

A
  1. understanding evolution of life
  2. clouds reflect solar radiation
  3. water vapour absorbs radiation
  4. oceans absorb heat
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2
Q

importance of water in supporting life (1)

A

key to understanding evolution of life on earth as it provides a medium that allows organic molecules to mix and form more complex structures

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3
Q

importance of water in supporting life (2)

A

clouds, made up of tiny water molecules reflect 1/5 of incoming solar radiation and lower surface temps

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4
Q

importance of water in supporting life (3)

A

water vapour absorbs long wave radiation from the Earth helping to maintain average global temps almost 15% higher than they would otherwise be

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5
Q

importance of water in supporting life (4)

A

oceans, which occupy 71% of earth’s surface moderate temperature by absorbing heat, storing it and releasing it slowly

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6
Q

uses of water in agriculture

A

irrigation, pesticide, fertilizer, grow fresh produce, sustain livestock

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7
Q

uses of water in industry

A

steel making, food manufacture, dying, paper manufacture, brewing

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8
Q

uses of water in domestic

A

drinking water, sewage disposal, generate electricity, washing and cleaning

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9
Q

uses of water in recreation

A

swimming pools, golf courses, man made lakes, fountains

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10
Q

uses of water for flora

A

photosynthesis, carrying nutrients around, keeps plants firm and upright (turgid), seaweed and algae absorb C02 dissolved in water

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11
Q

uses of water for animals

A

stay hydrated, digest food, frogs and turtles need water to lay eggs and reproduce

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12
Q

define atmosphere

A
  • thin layer of gases surrounding earth
  • seals the planet and protects us from the vacuum of space
  • protects us from electromagnetic radiation given off by sun and meteors
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13
Q

define hydrosphere

A
  • total amount of water on planet

- can be liquid, vapour or ice

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14
Q

define cryosphere

A

frozen part of hydrosphere

glaciers, ice caps, ice bergs

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15
Q

define lithosphere

A

earth’s crust and uppermost mantle
hard and rigid part of earth
split into tectonic plates

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16
Q

define biosphere

A

earths crust, waters, atmosphere that supports life

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17
Q

3 main stores in earths global water system

A

oceans (97%)
land
atmosphere

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18
Q

what is water cycle driven by

A

sun’s energy

only energy crosses boundary of cycle

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19
Q

how does water move between stores

A

precipitation, evapotranspiration, run off, ground water flow

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20
Q

are smaller scale systems open or closed

A

open

matter abd energy can cross system boundaries

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21
Q

% of global water stored in oceans

A

97%

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22
Q

% of global water stored in polar ice + glaciers

A

2%

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23
Q

% of global water stored in groundwater

A

0.7%

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24
Q

% of global water stored in atmosphere

A

0.001%

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25
Q

% of global water stored in lakes

A

0.01%

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26
Q

% of global water stored in rivers

A

0.0001%

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27
Q

% of global water stored in soils

A

0.005%

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28
Q

why are oceans biggest store?

A

deep capacity of oceans

surface run off and precipitation flow into oceans

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29
Q

why is atmosphere one of smallest stores?

A

water moves very quickly in and out of it

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30
Q

average store time for water molecule in atmosphere

A

9 days

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31
Q

define desalination

A

removal of salts and minerals from salt water or saline water

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32
Q

define system

A

any set of interrelated components or objects which are connected together to form a working process

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33
Q

define subsystem

A

a set of elements, which is a system in itself, and a part of a larger system

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34
Q

open system

A

both mass and energy are allowed to transfer across a system boundary

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35
Q

closed system

A

flow of energy in and out
no matter can flow across system boundary
has fixed mass

36
Q

at what scale is the water cycle open?

A

drainage basin scale

37
Q

what is a drainage basin

A

an area of land delineated by a watershed, within which all surface water from rain, melting snow, or ice converges to a single point at a lower elevation

38
Q

precipitation

A

the falling to earth of any form of water- rain, snow, hail, sleet, mist, fog

39
Q

condensation

A

water droplets condensed from the air, usually at night, onto cool surfaces near the ground.
dew forms when the temperature of the surface falls below the dew point of its surroundings

40
Q

ablamation

A

the natural removal of snow or ice from the surface of a glacier or snowfield. This can occur through melting or sublimation and, at or near the snout of a glacier, it can also occur by calving (forming icebergs).

41
Q

sublimation

A

a chemical process where a solid turns into a gas without going through a liquid stage

42
Q

inputs to the water cycle

A

precipitation, condensation, snowmelt (ablamation)

43
Q

outputs to the water cycle

A

evaporation, sublimation, volcanic water vapour

44
Q

evapotranspiration

A

water evaporated from the oceans, soils, lakes and river and water transpired through the leaves of plants

45
Q

water cycle

A

The movement of water between the atmosphere and Earth. It includes: Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Surface Runoff, Transpiration and Perspiration.

46
Q

transpiration

A

When plants release water through pores in their leaves back into the atmosphere.

the diffusion of water vapour to the atmosphere from the leaf pores (stomata) of plants

47
Q

surface run off

A

Water that cannot be absorbed into the surface (the ground is too dense or saturated) but runs along it

48
Q

humidity

A

The amount of water vapor in the air warm air can hold more water vapor than cool air.

49
Q

relative humidity

A

The percentage of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount of water that the air can hold at a particular temperature.

50
Q

ground water

A

All the water that soaks into the ground, found under the Earth’s surface

51
Q

interception

A

precipitation that does not reach the soil, but is instead intercepted by the leaves, branches of plants and the forest floor. It occurs in the canopy

52
Q

infiltration/ percolation?

A

the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil

53
Q

dew point

A

the temperature at which condensation begins

54
Q

Water balance equation

A

P=Q+E +/- S

precipitation= streamflow +evapotranspiration +/-changes in storage

55
Q

The balance between inputs and outputs in a drainage basin is known as

A

the water balance

56
Q

what is the water balance equation?

A

summarises the flows of water in a drainage basin over time. It states that precipitation is equal to evapotranspiration and streamflow, plus or minus water entering or leaving storage:

57
Q

Storage within a drainage basin – the options:

soil moisture recharge

A

When the soil becomes saturated, excess water will have difficulty infiltrating into the ground If it cannot infiltrate into the soil it will run over the surface as overland flow.

58
Q

Storage within a drainage basin – the options:

soil moisture utilisation

A

When evapotranspiration is greater than precipitation there is a reduction in the amount of water stored with the soil. This continues until the point where soil moisture is used up.

59
Q

Storage within a drainage basin – the options:

soil moisture deficit

A

Eventually all the available water stored in the soil will have been used up.

60
Q

Storage within a drainage basin – the options:

soil moisture recharge

A

When precipitation is greater than evapotranspiration the pores of the soil are refilled with water until it reaches it’s field capacity.

61
Q

the principle flows linking stores in the water cycle

A
  • Evaporation
  • Transpiration
  • Condensation
  • Precipitation
  • Run-off
  • Infiltration
  • Percolation
62
Q

how does precipitation form

A

when vapour in the atmosphere cools to dew point and condenses into tiny water droplets. Eventually these water drolet aggregate (stick together), reach a critical size and leave the cloud as precipitation

63
Q

factors affecting precipitation

A
  • rainfall quickest to enter streams and rivers as overlandflow
  • this is sped up if surfaces are impermeable (urban areas)
  • or in areas of steep relief
  • in mountains precipitation often fals as snow
  • may remain on ground for several months, meaning longer time lag between snowfall and run off
  • in areas that get a lot of precipitation, ground may be saturated therefore increasing overland flow and reducing time lag
  • this can lead to flooding
64
Q

factors that affect transpiration

A
  1. light- in bright light stomata open wider to allow more oxygen in for photosynthesis- transpiration increases
  2. temperature- evapouration and diffusion faster at higher temperatures- transpiration faster
  3. wind- water vapour removed quickly by air movement, speeding up transpiration
  4. diffusion of water vapour out of leaf slows down if leaf is already surrounded by moisture air- transpiration slower in humid conditions-
65
Q

3 main types of cloud

A

cirrus clouds
cumuliform clouds
stratiform clouds

66
Q

global atmospheric circulation

A

affects weather patterns around the world and therefore flows and stores in the water cycle. It is the large-scale movement of air, and together with ocean circulation is the means by which thermal energy is redistributed on the surface of the Earth.The Earth’s atmospheric circulation varies from year to year, but the large scale structure of its circulation remains fairly constant.

67
Q

define The Hadley Cell

A

a large scale atmospheric convection cell, which is influential in weather patterns and therefore affects the water cycle.

68
Q

explain the Hadley Cell

A

At the equator, moist air is warmed by the Earth’s surface, decreases in density and rises.
The rising air moves polewards and creates a low pressure zone near the equator.
As the air moves poleward, it cools, becomes more dense, and descends at about 30 degrees, creating a high pressure area.
The descended air then travels toward the equator along the surface, replacing the air that rose from the equatorial zone, closing the loop of the Hadley Cell.

69
Q

adiabatic expansion

A

Air warmed by contact with the ground or sea surface, rises freely through the atmosphere. As the air rises and pressure falls it cools by expansion This vertical movement of air is also known as convection.

70
Q

advection

A

Air masses move horizontally across a relatively cooler surface

71
Q

orographic uplift

A

Air masses rise as they cross a mountain barrier or as turbulence forces their ascent.

72
Q

mixing

A

A relatively warm air mass mixes with a cooler one.

73
Q

define lapse rates

A

Lapse rates describe the vertical distribution of temperature in the lower atmosphere, and the changes that occur within an air parcel as it rises vertically away from the ground.
• Measured as degrees lost per km.
• There is an average heat loss with altitude
• There are different rates of heat loss for rising parcels of air

74
Q

cloud formation

A

Clouds are visible ‘groups’ of water droplets or ice that float in the air. They form when water is cooled to its Dew Point

75
Q

Three different lapse rates: Their interaction explains the formation of clouds

A

Environmental Adiabatic Lapse Rate- The average rate of temperature decrease with altitude (6.5˚C per km of height gained)

Saturated Adiabatic Lapse Rate- The rate at which a saturated parcel of air cools as it rises through the atmosphere (7˚C per km of altitude). Higher than the DALR as Latent heat is released during condensation

Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate- The rate at which a parcel of dry air cools as it rises (10˚C per km of altitude)

76
Q

How clouds form by convection

A

The ground heated by the sun warms the air in contact with the surface.
Because the air is warmer than its surroundings it is less dense and therefore boyant.
This situation known as atmospheric instability, results in air rising freely in a convection current.
When its internal temperature reaches the dew point (8 ºC) condensation occurs and cloud starts to form.
The air continues to rise so long as its internal temperature is higher than the surrounding atmosphere.

77
Q

how can evaporation be accelerated

A
  • Evaporation is accelerated as temperature increases.]
  • Evaporation potential is higher in hotter areas
  • Evaporation potential is higher over large stores of water and in areas of high rainfall.
78
Q

the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers provide what percentage of moisture in the atmosphere

A

90%

79
Q

plant transpiration provides what percentage of moisture in the atmosphere

A

10%

80
Q

Throughfall

A

Vegetation intercepts a proportion of precipitation, storing it temporarily on branches, leaves and stems. Eventually this moisture either evaporatesor falls to the ground. Rainfall that is briefly intercepted is known as throughfall.

81
Q

Factors increasing interception loss

A
  • higher temperature
  • type of tree- coniferous (keep leaves all year and have waxed coating so water can be held)
  • low humidity
  • more wind (more evap, more int loss)
82
Q

Ablamation

A

loss of ice from snow, ice sheets and glaciers due to a combination of melting, evaporation and sublimation.

83
Q

what are storm hydrographs

A

graphs that show how a drainage basin responds to a period of rainfall.

They are useful in planning for flood situations and times of drought as they show the discharge (amount of water reaching channel via different pathways) that originated as precipitation

84
Q

short lag time

A

in areas with large amounts of run off, overland flow and saturated overland flow lag times will be short

85
Q

long lag time

A

in areas with large flows through throughflow and groundwater flow this lag time will be much longer

86
Q

factors affecting lag time

A
  1. soil type- clays less infiltration, sandy soil more infiltration
  2. slope of land- water falling on steep land runs off more quickly and infiltrates less that it would on flat land
  3. land cover- concrete surfaces have more run off
  4. vegetation cover- slows run off and allows more infiltration
  5. soil moisture conditions- soil moisture surplus – saturated soils cause more run off that soils in deficit, utilisation or recharge which encourage infiltration

Earth Life Support Systems (1 decks)

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