Earth's natural systems 3.5 Hydrological systems

Question 1

Water covers __ of Earth’s surface

Answer 1

70%

Question 2

Oceans contain __ of Earth’s surface

Answer 2

97%G

Question 3

Global water budget is

Answer 3

Sum of inputs, outputs, net changes in hydrosphere over a period

Question 4

What % of water cycle is fresh water

Answer 4

Less than 3%

Question 5

T or F- the total amount of water in water cycle is fixed but unevenly distributed

Answer 5

T

Question 6

T or F- rivers transfer water from areas with net surplus in water budgets to areas that have less water

Answer 6

T

Question 7

Catchment are open systems that are more than rivers- they also include..

Answer 7

lakes and other natural water storage (wetlands)

Question 8

ridge of land separating river catchments is called

Answer 8

Watershed

Question 9

network of smaller rivers/streams that feed rivers

Answer 9

tributaries

Question 10

What are the inputs/outputs of catchments?

Answer 10

Input= precipitation
Output= flow to sea, evaporation, transpiration, human use

Question 11

T or F… If soils are sandy- much of water will infiltrate soils

Answer 11

T

Question 12

What type of soil/vegetation creates most run off?

Answer 12

Impermeable clay soils with little vegetation

Question 13

What 2 factors most impact flooding rate and scale?

Answer 13

1. River catchment (rock type, soil, slope gradient)
2. Precipitation (type, intensity, frequency)

Question 14

What drives circulation of water?

Answer 14

Sun’s energy

Question 15

At a global level, is water cycle a closed or open system?

Answer 15

Closed- no water is added, none is taken away… what changes is its distribution, geographical location and sometimes its form

Question 16

Define condensation

Answer 16

Water changing from gaseous state back into liquid state. Only occurs when there are solid objects on which moisture can be deposited

Question 17

What factors affect the rate of condensation?

Answer 17

1. Original air temp
2. Amount moisture/humidity in air (The more moisture in atmosphere, the more energy it can store and transfer as heat)
3. Rate atmospheric cooling

Question 18

What is the dew point

Answer 18

Air needs to be cooled to a certain temp before it becomes saturated (100% humidity)

Question 19

Define evaporation

Answer 19

Physical process by which moisture lost directly to atmosphere

Question 20

Is evaporation cooling or warming process?

Answer 20

Cooling process- involves transfer of heat energy from body of water to atmosphere

Question 21

Define transpiration

Answer 21

Biological process in which water is lost via pores in leaves

Question 22

Define precipitation

Answer 22

Results when large masses of moist air are cooled rapidly below dew point … With continued condensation, water droplets or ice crystals become larger and heavier
Eventually, so heavy atmosphere cannot support them + fall.

Question 23

Define infiltration

Answer 23

After precipitation, soil becomes moist and absorbent

Question 24

What are 3 types of rainfall?

Answer 24

Frontal, orographic, convective

Question 25

What is frontal rainfall?

Answer 25

Mostly in mid latitudes where warm tropical air meets cold polar air- warm air forced to rise, cooling, condensing, precipitation

Question 26

What is orographic rainfall?

Answer 26

When warm air forced to rise over landforms

Question 27

What is convective rainfall?

Answer 27

Produced by convective clouds (cumulus). Formed by buoyant air rising due to warm land/sea heating it > rising> condensing.

Question 28

Is convective or frontal rain shorter?

Answer 28

Convective (often only 20min- hr); Frontal can be hours

Question 29

Why does convective rain fall over a much small area than frontal rain?

Answer 29

From cumulus clouds that are very tall but narrow