Lesson 1 - Water Cycle Systems

Question 1

What is a system?

Answer 1

A system is a combination of interlinked components that are linked together to function as a whole.

Question 2

What is a store?

Answer 2

A store is a naturally formed reservoir of water e.g., oceans, lakes etc.

Question 3

What are inputs?

Answer 3

Inputs are flows of water into a store e.g., glaciers melting into the ocean

Question 4

What are outputs?

Answer 4

Outputs are flows of water exiting the stores e.g. evaporation.

Question 5

What is an open system?

Answer 5

A system where both energy and matter can enter and exit the system

Question 6

What is a closed system?

Answer 6

A system where energy is transferred within in, no matter enters or exits.

Question 7

What is the concept of mass balance?

Answer 7

A systems inputs must equalise its outputs. There may be transfers within the system but the overall amount of water will remain the same.

Question 9

What is precipitation?

Answer 9

All forms of water falling from the sky like rain, snow, sleet, and hail.

Question 10

What does solar energy provide?

Answer 10

Heat that powers processes like evaporation and transpiration.

Question 11

Define evaporation.

Answer 11

When water changes from a liquid to a gas from surfaces like rivers, lakes, or soil.

Question 12

What is transpiration?

Answer 12

When water is released as vapor from plants through their leaves.

Question 13

What is evapotranspiration?

Answer 13

The combined effect of evaporation and transpiration.

Question 14

What is runoff?

Answer 14

Water that flows over the land surface and eventually enters rivers.

Question 15

Define river discharge.

Answer 15

Water that flows out of the drainage basin through rivers into the sea.

Question 16

What is atmosphere storage?

Answer 16

Water stored as vapor in the air.

Question 17

What is vegetation storage?

Answer 17

Water stored on leaves and plants after precipitation.

Question 18

Define surface storage.

Answer 18

Water stored in lakes, ponds, puddles, and man-made reservoirs.

Question 19

What is soil moisture?

Answer 19

Water held in the spaces between soil particles.

Question 20

Define groundwater storage.

Answer 20

Water stored deep underground in rock layers called aquifers.

Question 21

What is channel storage?

Answer 21

Water held in river channels and streams.

Question 22

What is the cryosphere?

Answer 22

Water stored as ice and snow in glaciers, ice caps, and permafrost.

Question 23

Define infiltration.

Answer 23

Water soaking from the surface into the soil.

Question 24

What is percolation?

Answer 24

Water moving deeper from the soil into underground rock layers.

Question 25

Define throughflow.

Answer 25

Water moving sideways through the soil towards rivers.

Question 26

What is groundwater flow?

Answer 26

Water moving slowly through rock layers underground.

Question 27

Define stemflow.

Answer 27

Water running down the stems or trunks of plants.

Question 28

What is interception?

Answer 28

When vegetation catches and holds precipitation before it reaches the ground.

Question 29

How do water stores change over time?

Answer 29

Through both human and physical factors. Naturally stores change in size seasonally. Humans can poorly manage stores which results in change of size. E.g., Aral Sea

Question 31

What was the Aral Sea once known as?

Answer 31

The fourth largest inland lake in the world

Question 32

What caused the drastic shrinkage of the Aral Sea since the 1960s?

Answer 32

Unsustainable irrigation practices

Question 33

Which two main rivers were diverted to irrigate cotton fields?

Answer 33

Amu Darya and Syr Darya

Question 34

What percentage of the Aral Sea's water has disappeared due to irrigation practices?

Answer 34

Over 90%

Question 35

What are some environmental impacts of the Aral Sea's shrinkage?

Answer 35

Collapse of the fishing industry, health problems from toxic dust storms, loss of biodiversity

Question 36

What efforts have been made to restore the North Aral Sea?

Answer 36

Construction of the Kok-Aral Dam

Question 37

Which part of the Aral Sea continues to shrink due to ongoing water mismanagement?

Answer 37

The South Aral Sea in Uzbekistan

Question 38

True or False: The Kok-Aral Dam has been successful in restoring the South Aral Sea.

Answer 38

False

Question 39

Fill in the blank: The case of the Aral Sea highlights the dangers of poorly planned _______.

Answer 39

irrigation

Question 40

What is emphasized as important due to the Aral Sea crisis?

Answer 40

Sustainable water use

Question 41

How is the cryosphere affected in glacial and interglacial periods?

Answer 41

In glacial periods, accumulation is high and the cryosphere is enlarged. In interglacial periods, ablation is high and ocean stores are larger. Cyrosphere is much smaller.

Question 42

How does anthropogenic climate change affect the cryosphere?

Answer 42

Anthropogenic climate change is causing the earths temperature to rise, this means that the cryosphere stores are melting causing sea levels to rise.