ELSS Key Stats

Question 1

Main stores in global water system

Answer 1

Atmosphere, land, oceans

Question 2

Open system

Answer 2

Has inputs and outputs of energy and matter

Question 3

Closed system

Answer 3

Has inputs and outputs of energy but matter stays the same within

Question 4

Percentage of water stored in oceans

Answer 4

97%

Question 5

Percentage of water stored in cryosphere

Answer 5

2%

Question 6

Percentage of water stored in groundwater

Answer 6

0.7%

Question 7

Percentage of water stored in rivers and lakes

Answer 7

0.0101%

Question 8

Percentage of water stored in soils

Answer 8

0.005%

Question 9

Percentage of water stored in atmosphere

Answer 9

0.001%

Question 10

Percentage of water stored in biosphere

Answer 10

0.00004%

Question 11

Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR)

Answer 11

10 degrees per km risen

Question 12

Saturated Adiabatic Lapse Rate (SALR)

Answer 12

7 degrees per km risen

Question 13

How does cloud formation occur?

Answer 13

1) Insolation heats ground 2) Convection causes warm parcel of air to rise because it is less dense and buoyant (atmospheric instability) 3) Rises at DALR 4) Reaches dew point - begins to condense 5) Latent heat is given off 6) Continues to rise at SALR 7) Rises until it is the same temperature as the surrounding air 8) Condensation stops and atmosphere is stable

Question 14

Channel Precipitation

Answer 14

Rain falls directly into river - roughly 10% - input

Question 15

Interception

Answer 15

Vegetation stops water reaching ground - process

Question 16

Throughfall

Answer 16

Wet leaves shed excess water onto ground - process

Question 17

Stemflow

Answer 17

Flow of intercepted water down the drunk/stem of a plant - process

Question 18

Factors affecting interception loss

Answer 18

Interception storage capacity: dry plants retain more water so intercept more vs saturated plants lose more to stemflow and throughfall
Wind speed: higher wind = more evaporation = more interception loss
Vegetation type: larger surface area e.g. trees = more interception loss
Tree species: evergreen trees = leaves all year round & needle leaf structure = more interception loss

Question 19

Interception loss

Answer 19

Intercepted water evaporation directly off plants back into atmosphere

Question 20

Infiltration

Answer 20

Downward movement of water from ground surface into soil

Question 21

Percolation

Answer 21

Movement of soil water into underlying permeable rock

Question 22

Flows in/along ground

Answer 22

Overland flow (surface runoff) FASTEST - Throughflow (sideways flow through soil) - Groudnwater flow (sideways through permeable rock) SLOWEST

Question 23

Factors affecting soil flows

Answer 23

High infiltration capacity: larger pores (e.g. in Sandy soils) = less overland flow
Saturated soil: water cannot be absorbed = lower infiltration capacity = more overland flow
Arable land in winter: no plants = more raindrop impact = more infiltration = soil saturated more quickly
Coniferous trees: higher interception storage = more interception loss = less water reaches ground

Question 24

Permeability

Answer 24

The ease at which water can move through rock

Question 25

Porosity

Answer 25

How much open (pore) space there is in a rock

Question 26

River discharge

Answer 26

Volume of water passing a given point in a given time, measured in CUMECS

Question 27

Lag time

Answer 27

Time between peak rainfall and peak discharge

Question 28

Flashy hydrograph

Answer 28

Steep rising limb, short lag time, high peak discharge and steep recessional limb: low evaporation, high relief, heavy rainfall, impermeable rocks

Question 29

Low flat hydrograph

Answer 29

Gentle rising limb, long lag time, low peak discharge, gentle recessional limb: unsaturated soil, permeable rocks, gentle relief, lots of trees

Question 30

Transpiration

Answer 30

Loss of water from vegetation stomata via evaporation - responsible for 10% of atmospheric water OUTPUT

Question 31

Evaporation

Answer 31

Change of water from liquid into vapour via heating OUTPUT

Question 32

Factors affecting transpiration

Answer 32

Higher temperature = more transpiration Higher wind speed = more water drawn from surface = more evapotranspiration Less water in soil = less water in plants = less water for transpiration Winter = less vegetation = less transpiration

Question 33

Sublimation

Answer 33

Snow/ice changing into water vapour without melting into water

Question 34

Runoff

Answer 34

Water discharged in surface streams

Question 35

Water surplus

Answer 35

More precipitation than evapotranspiration and streamflow = saturated soil = in winter months

Question 36

Water deficit

Answer 36

Less precipitation than evapotranspiration and streamflow = dry soil = in summer months

Question 37

Percentage of carbon stored in atmosphere

Answer 37

0.5%

Question 38

Percentage of carbon in oceans

Answer 38

26.5%

Question 39

Percentage of carbon in sedimentary rocks

Answer 39

68.6%

Question 40

Percentage of carbon in fossil fuels

Answer 40

2.7%

Question 41

Percentage of carbon in biomass

Answer 41

0.4%

Question 42

Percentage of carbon in soils

Answer 42

1%

Question 43

Size of terrestrial carbon stores (GT)

Answer 43

2100GT

Question 44

Sequestration

Answer 44

Process by which carbon is captured and stored - photosynthesis

Question 45

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

Answer 45

Amount of carbon sequestered by plants per m^2 per year

Question 46

Photosynthesis

Answer 46

Carbon dioxide & water combined using chlorophyll to make oxygen and glucose

Question 47

Respiration

Answer 47

Opposite of photosynthesis - occurs in all plants and animals, soil organisms and phytoplankton

Question 48

Decomposition

Answer 48

Decomposers break down organic matter into carbon dioxide, water and nutrients which is released into soil pore spaces, which then diffuses into atmosphere

Question 49

Diffusion

Answer 49

Carbon dissolved into/out of surface waters of the ocean

Question 50

Factors affecting diffusion

Answer 50

Windier conditions = more turbulence =more carbon dioxide dissolved Higher atmospheric carbon = more dissolved Colder waters = more carbon dioxide dissolved

Question 51

Physical pump

Answer 51

Transports carbon through ocean via downwelling, deep water circulation, upwelling and diffusion

Question 52

Downwelling

Answer 52

Areas of colder (and so denser) water sink to ocean, taking dissolved carbon with it

Question 53

Upwelling

Answer 53

Areas of warmer water rise from deep ocean bringing carbon with it