1.A.2 - The Water Cycle

Question 1

What is the lithosphere?

Answer 1

All water in or on the land surface (in/on the soil and rocks)

Question 2

What is the hydrosphere?

Answer 2

The total amount of water on planet Earth. All the water on the surface, underground and in the air.

Question 3

What is the cryosphere?

Answer 3

The water locked up on the Earth’s surface as ice.

Question 4

What is the atmosphere?

Answer 4

Water found in the atmosphere; mainly water vapour with some liquid water and ice crystals.

Question 5

When does evaporation occur?

Answer 5

When solar radiation energy hits the surface of water/land. Liquid -> water vapour (gas).

Question 6

What factors affect the rate of evaporation?

Answer 6

1. The amount of solar energy
2. The availability of water
3. The humidity of the air (more humid = more saturated, less room = less evaporation)
4. The temperature of the air (warm air can hold more)
5. The presence of the wind

Question 7

What is condensation?

Answer 7

As air cools, it is able to hold less water vapour and becomes saturated which is known as the dew point temperature. (Dew point above 0 = dew, below = frost). Gas -> liquid.

Question 8

What is transpiration?

Answer 8

Water is transported from roots to leaves and then lost through pores on the leaf surface as water vapour.

Question 9

What is evapotranspiration?

Answer 9

The total output of water from the drainage basin directly back into the atmosphere. Includes water vapour released by vegetation and water evaporated from the surface.

Question 10

Causes of precipitation

Answer 10

• relatively warm air rises
• this warm air cools
• it becomes saturated
• water vapour condenses and forms clouds