water cycle - factors driving change in magnitude of water stores

Question 1

what forms does water exist in on earth

Answer 1

liquid, gas and solid

Question 2

when changing a state what is released/absorbed in order to do so?

Answer 2

energy in the form of latent heat

Question 3

what is it called when a solid turns into a gas?

Answer 3

sublimation

Question 4

when does evaporation occur

Answer 4

when energy from solar radiation hits the surface of water and land and causes liquid water to change into a gas

Question 5

what does the rate of evaporation depend on?

Answer 5

amount of solar energy
availability of water
humidity of air, if close to saturation point it will be slower
temp of air, warm air holds more

Question 6

who do terrestrial plants lose water?

Answer 6

through transpiration

Question 7

what is transpiration?

Answer 7

water is transported from the roots to its leaves and then lost through the pores

Question 8

what happens when water evaporates?

Answer 8

it uses energy in the form of latent heat, absorbing it, cooling the surroundings

Question 9

why does condensation occur?

Answer 9

it occurs when water n atmosphere cools to its dew point

Question 10

what is the dew point temperature?

Answer 10

involved in condensation, this is where as cool air is cooled sufficiently it will get to a saturation point

Question 11

what do water molecules need for condensation?

Answer 11

something to condense in that is below the due point temperature

Question 12

what happens if the surface use to condense on is below zero degrees?

Answer 12

sublimation will occur, instead of water it will turn into frost or ice

Question 13

condensation is the direct cause of what?

Answer 13

all forms of precipitation

Question 14

what are the two main cyrospheric processes?

Answer 14

ablation and accumulation

Question 15

what is ablation?

Answer 15

the removal of snow or ice through melting

Question 16

who many glacial periods have there been in earths history?

Answer 16

five

Question 17

when did the most recent glacial period start?

Answer 17

2.87 mil years ago

Question 18

what is an interglacial period?

Answer 18

when ablation exceeds accumulation

Question 19

when is permafrost formed?

Answer 19

when air temperature is low enough that they freeze any soil and groundwater present, must be preen for two consecutive years

Question 20

how do glacial period disrupt the hydrological cycle?

Answer 20

lower sea level as water is frozen

Question 21

how do clouds form?

Answer 21

when warm air cools down, causing water vapour in it to condense into water droplets which gather as clouds

Question 22

what are things that can cause warm air to cool leading to precipitation?

Answer 22

• other air masses (warm air is pushed upwards as less dense)
• topography (orographic precipitation)
• convection (sun heats up ground and it evaporates creating column of warm air?

Question 23

what is convection precipiation?

Answer 23

when the sun heats the ground and any water evaporates creating a column of warm air that rises

Question 24

what is could condensation nuclei?

Answer 24

tiny particles such as soot that allow water to condense creating a cloud
water droplets are too small to form clouds on their own