1.A.3 - The Water Cycle Flashcards
What is a drainage basin?
A cascading system that links together so that the output of one is the input of the next.
Inputs into a drainage basin
- Precipitation
- Sun’s energy - driving process of evaporation
Outputs from a drainage basin
- evapotranspiration of water
- runoff into the river -> out to sea
- water percolating deep into underground store
What is interception?
The precipitation that falls on the vegetation surfaces or human-made cover and is temporarily stored on these surfaces.
What is surface water?
Water will build up on the surface which is usually in the form of puddles.
What is soil water storage?
Amount of water stored in the soil. Consists of solid particles with pore spaces between which can be filled with air but also water.
What is groundwater storage?
Water held in pore spaces in the rocks.
What is channel storage?
The water held in a river or stream channel.
What is stemflow?
The portion of precipitation intercepted by the canopy that reaches the ground by flowing down stems, stalks or tree boles.
What is infiltration?
The downward movement of water from surface into soil.
What is overland flow?
The tendency of water to flow horizontally across land surfaces when rainfall has exceeded the infiltration capacity of the soil and all surface stores are full to overflowing.
What is channel flow?
The river transfers water by channel flow.
What is water balance?
The balance between inputs and outputs in a drainage basin
