RS: Factors Affecting Water and Energy Supply Flashcards Preview

AS/A-Level Geography > RS: Factors Affecting Water and Energy Supply > Flashcards

Flashcards in RS: Factors Affecting Water and Energy Supply Deck (11)
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1
Q

How does geology affect water supply?

A
  • Impermeable rock = surface water supplies
  • Permeable rock = formation of aquifers/artesian basins
  • Rocks containing salt/minerals that dissolve into water = unsuitable without treatment
2
Q

What rock type is needed for surface water supplies?

A

Impermeable

3
Q

What rock type is needed for aquifers?

A

Permeable

4
Q

How can rock type mean that water quality is more assured?

A

Groundwater storage due to percolation - water is filtered as it percolates.

5
Q

How does climate affect water supply?

A
  • Low pressure systems in tropics = large amounts of overland flow
  • Higher variability of rainfall = increased monsoon events = more overland flow
  • Impacts water quality = increased temps = algal blooms = affect oxygen levels = decreased water quality
6
Q

How does the drainage system affect water supply?

A
  • Large drainage systems can collect greater levels of overland flow/infiltration = increasing river discharge and water supply
7
Q

How do human factors affect water supply?

A
  • Increasing demand = depletion beyond recharge rates, particularly groundwater supplies
  • Impact on water quality = farming (runoff of pesticides and fertilisers > eutrophication/algal blooms) or industrial runoff
  • Climate change = e.g. areas reliant on snowmelt for water supply may not receive enough water due to a lack of winter snow build-up
  • Economic water scarcity = cost of water storage/ impacts downstream of large-scale water storage > may lead to inequality based on affordability of supplies
8
Q

How does geology affect oil energy supply?

A
  • Reservoirs on impermeable cap rock = build up of oil/gas
  • Affects accessibility of reserve - shallow = more economically viable
  • Affects formation of hydrocarbons - sedimentation = kerogen = 110C + forms oil/gas
9
Q

How does geology affect coal energy supply?

A
  • Swamp conditions = anaerobic decomposition of organic material = coalification
10
Q

How does climate affect energy supply?

A
  • Affects economic availiability = eg. Arctic Circle is less accessible vs warmer climate of Middle East
  • Impacts renewables
  • Arguably technological advances may allow climate to become less of a limiting factor - e.g. ANWR
11
Q

What human factors affect energy supply?

A
  • Tech advances increase economic viability of previously inaccessible resources
  • Unstable governments = reduced TNC investment = reduced drilling
  • Economic scarcity = difficulty affording significant investment in renewables or unconventional oil