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Geography Smith = Key Terms (1) 🌳 > The Water Cycle > Flashcards

The Water Cycle Flashcards

1
Q

Precipitation

A

The input into a drainage system

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2
Q

Interception

A

The storage of water when it lands on vegetation before it reaches the soil

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3
Q

Surface storage + what it includes

A

The storage of water on the surface
Including puddles, ponds and lakes

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4
Q

Soil moisture

A

The storage of water in soil

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5
Q

Groundwater storage (2)

A

The storage of water in the ground rocks of permeable rock
Rocks with lots of water storage are called aquifers

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6
Q

Channel storage

A

The storage of water in a river channel

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7
Q

Vegetation storage

A

The storage of water in vegetation

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8
Q

Surface runoff/ overland flow (2)

A

The horizontal flow of water over the surface of the land
Usually a quick flow

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9
Q

Stem flow

A

The flow of water owing downwards from interception storage to the storage

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10
Q

Throughfall

A

The downwards movement of water as it drips from one leaf to another

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11
Q

Throughflow

A

The horizontal flow of water moving through soil towards a river

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12
Q

Interflow

A

The horizontal movement of water through rock above the water table

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13
Q

Infiltration

A

The downwards movement of water from the surface into the soil

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14
Q

Percolation

A

The downwards movement of water from the soil to the permeable ground rock

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15
Q

Groundwater flow

A

The horizontal movement of water through the rocks below the water table

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16
Q

Baseflow

A

Groundwater flow that feeds into rivers

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17
Q

Channel flow

A

The movement of water in the river channel moving towards the sea

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18
Q

Evaporation + what affects rates (4)

A

The output of water when water is heated and turned from a liquid into a gas.
Rates are affected by temperature, wind, humidity, and water availability

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19
Q

Transpiration (3 steps)

A

The output of water where moisture is taken into plants through their roots then moved to the leaves by capillary action and then evaporates from the leaves into a gas

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20
Q

Evapotranspiration (3)

A

The combined output of water from evaporation and transpiration.
Potential evapotranspiration is the amount that could occur if water were available.
Actual evapotranspiration is the amount that actually occurs

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21
Q

Condensation

A

Transfers of water from a gas to a liquid

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22
Q

Condensation nuclei + example

A

Microscopic particles on which water vapour condenses to form cloud droplets
Example = smoke or dust

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23
Q

Dew point

A

The temperature at which the water vapour in the air becomes saturated and condensation begins

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24
Q

Sublimation

A

Transfer from a solid to a gas

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25
Q

Deposition

A

Transfer from a gas to a solid

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26
Q

Latent heat

A

The heat required to convert a solid into a liquid or vapour
Or a liquid into a vapour

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27
Q

Discharge

A

The output of water from a river channel out to sea

28
Q

Aquifer

A

A vast underground reservoir most commonly formed in rocks such as chalk and sandstone

29
Q

Impermeable surface

A

Does not allow water to pass through

30
Q

Permeable surface

A

Allows water to pass through

31
Q

Urbanisation + what it leads to

A

The increasing proportion of people living in towns and cities as opposed to the countryside
Leads to the displacement of vegetated ground with impermeable concrete or tarmac

32
Q

Deforestation + what it leads to (3)

A

The removal of trees
Leading to surface runoff and soil erosion and reducing soil water stores

33
Q

Drainage basin

A

The area of land that is drained by a river and its tributaries

34
Q

Source (3)

A

The point where the river begins
Narrow and shallow
Discharge is low

35
Q

Mouth (3)

A

The point where the river meets the sea
Wide and deep
Discharge is high

36
Q

Watershed

A

The edge of a drainage basin

37
Q

Tributary

A

Smaller rivers that feed into the main channel

38
Q

Confluence

A

The point where two rivers meet

39
Q

Flood hydrograph

A

A graph showing the discharge of a river following a specific storm event

40
Q

Lag time (2)

A

Time between peak rainfall and peak discharge
Longer lag time = less likely to cause a flood

41
Q

River regime + what affects it (5)

A

The pattern of discharge over the course of a year
Affected by geology, vegetation, urbanisation, size/shape of drainage basin, rainfall intensity

42
Q

Soil moisture budget (2)

A

Describes the changes in the soil water store during the course of a year.
It is determined by precipitation and evapotranspiration

43
Q

Stages of the soil moisture budget (5)

A

Soil moisture utilisation
Soil moisture deficit
Soil moisture recharge
Field capacity
Soil moisture surplus

44
Q

Soil moisture utilisation (2)

A

The extraction of soil moisture by plants for their needs
Efficiency of withdrawal decreases as the soil-moisture storage is reduced.

45
Q

Soil moisture deficit + what its caused by

A

The point at which soil moisture falls below field capacity
Caused by a lack of precipitation and large amounts of evapotranspiration

46
Q

Soil moisture recharge (3)

A

Following soil moisture deficit
Precipitation is greater than potential evapotranspiration
Therefore moisture will be added to the soil

47
Q

Field capacity

A

The point at which soil is saturated

48
Q

Soil moisture surplus (3)

A

The period when soil is saturated and water cannot enter
Flows over the surface
Caused by low levels of evapotranspiration and high levels of precipitation

49
Q

Soil prosperity (2)

A

Pores or spaces in the soil
The greater pores or spaces, the greater the water holding ability.

50
Q

Water balance

A

An equation used to express the relationship between the main water stores

51
Q

Hillslope system

A

The way in which water moves down a typical hillslope towards a river, involving stores and transfers

52
Q

Irrigation

A

The supply of water to the land by means of channels, streams and sprinklers in order to permit the growth of crops

53
Q

Water table

A

The upper level of saturated rock

54
Q

Water abstraction

A

The extraction of water from rivers or groundwater aquifers

55
Q

Saltwater intrusion (3)

A

The movement of saltwater into an aquifer
May cause contamination
Often caused by over abstraction of groundwater from an aquifer

56
Q

Relief/Orographic rainfall (2)

A

Rainfall formed due to warm moist air being forced to rise by the relief of the land
One risen = air cools and condenses = rain

57
Q

Frontal rainfall (2)

A

Rainfall formed when warm air meets cold air
Warm air is less dense and therefore rises above the cold air = cools = condenses = rain

58
Q

Conventional rainfall (2)

A

Rainfall formed when heat from the sun heats the ground
The warm ground heats the air above causing it to rise, cool, condense and from rain

59
Q

Ablation (2)

A

Outputs from a glacial system sue to melting
Size of glacier decreases

60
Q

Accumulation (2)

A

Inputs to a glacial system due to snowfall
Builds a glacier

61
Q

What effects runoff/shape of hydrograph (4++)

A

Size of drainage basin = larger means catch more precipitation so longer to get peak discharge
Shape of basin = circular = more flashy because all points on watershed same distance
Steepness = runoff increases = shorter lag time
Rock + soil type = impermeable doesn’t store water or allow infiltration = runoff

62
Q

Physical factors affecting water cycle (2++)

A

Storms = precipitation = increased sotres and flows
Seasonal changes = winter means inputs in Cryosphere and veg intercepts rain + slows movement to river + ore water lost through evapotranspiration

63
Q

Human factors that effect water cycle = farming (4+)

A

Ploughing = breaks up surface which increases infiltration
Crops = increased infiltration + interception + evapotranspiration which increases rainfall
Livestock = compact soil which reduces infiltration + runoff
Irrigation = increased runoff + reduced groundwater stores

64
Q

Human factors effecting water cycle = land use change (2)

A

Deforestation reduces interception + infiltration
Impermeable surfaces = reduced infiltration

65
Q

Human factors effecting water cycle

A

Abstraction reduces stores

Geography Smith = Key Terms (1) 🌳 (6 decks)

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