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Physical Geography > Water > Flashcards

Water Flashcards

(100 cards)

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1
Q

Flow/transfer

A

Where matter or energy moves in the system

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2
Q

input

A

Where matter or energy is added to the system

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3
Q

store/component

A

Where matter or energy builds up in the system

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4
Q

open systems

A

when systems receive inputs and transfers outputs of energy and matter

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5
Q

Dynamic equilibrium

A

inputs equal outputs in a system

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6
Q

positive feedback

A

where the effects of an action are amplified by subsequence or secondary knock on effects

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7
Q

negative feedback

A

where the effects of an action are nullified by its subsequent knock on effects

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8
Q

atmosphere

A

nitrogen, oxygen, water vapour and dust, slow process and takes millions of years, volcanoes are a very small percentage, keeps out uv radiation, 5 layers of atmosphere, increase in atmospheric temperature = positive feedback

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9
Q

hydrosphere

A

total amount of water on the planet, sound on planet, underground and in the air, liquids, vapour, ice, oceans, lakes, rivers, wells, aquifers, clouds, fog, icecaps, glaciers, icebergs, permafrost, water cycle

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10
Q

biosphere

A

contains all life found in our planet, ground air and water

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11
Q

Lithosphere

A

contains all of solid rock, upper brittle portion of mantle and crust, depends on stress, temperature, curvature, oceanic and continental, biggest stores of carbon, links to hazards, thermal energy makes rock more elastic

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12
Q

oceanic water

A

Largest store of water on earth, deep depth, 75% of earths oceans, 5% explored

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13
Q

cryospheric Water

A

Ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice doesn’t raise sea levels when melts, glaciers move out to sea

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14
Q

terrestrial water

A

groundlands, wetlands, soil water, biological water, lake if bigger than 2 hectares but pond if smaller

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15
Q

atmospheric water

A

water held in atmosphere, three states, 0.04% of fresh water

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16
Q

Sublimation

A

solid to gas

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17
Q

Deposition

A

gas to solid

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18
Q

what factors will effect the rate of change

A

relative humidity
Solar energy
Wind
Altitude and temperature

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19
Q

condensation

A

process where gas becomes liquid, heat is released, molecules slow down and work together, dew point = water vapour forms and humidity reaches 100%

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20
Q

adiabatic cooling

A

when the volume of air increases but there id no additional air rises and expands over lower pressure

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21
Q

evaporation

A

occurs when energy from solar radiation hits the surface of water or land, rate depends on amount of solar energy, availability of water, humidity of water

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22
Q

condensation

A

air cools it can hold less water vapour, becomes saturated, dew point temperature, precipitation

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23
Q

cryospheric

A

Accumulation and ablation, quaternary glaciation, global hydrological cycle

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24
Q

formation of clouds

A

water vapour, salt and smoke forms cloud droplets ad combine to grow into clouds

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25
advection fog
cools to dew point, cooling develops to low forming clouds and fog
26
radiative fog
develops when at night surface temperatures fall
27
Freshwater global water
2.5%
28
Soil water budget
Mean evaporation = low in winter months and high in summer Mean precipitation = lower in summer than in winter
29
Thermohaline circulation
Warm currents away from equator, Cold currents go towards equator, Due to solar radiation we get differences in water density, Depends of temperature and saltiness
30
El Niño
changes over a year in wind patterns - temperatures go up - around 0.5 degrees - more tropical storms
31
La Nino
changing wind pattern - temperature goes down - around 0.5 degrees - less tropical storms
32
Drainage basin
the area of land surrounding a river from which the river relieves water and subsequently drains this water
33
source
origin of the river, steep, upper course, water falls-steep or sudden change in gradient, plunge pools
34
confluence
where to big rivers meet, meander, fastest flowing part of the river
35
tributary
stream leading to river, where two streams meet
36
water shed
boundary / catchment of the water
37
mouth
where the river meets the sea, deposition, widest point of river, estuaries
38
precipitation
rain, snow, hail and sleet
39
infiltration
when water enters into soil
40
stem flow
water lands on plants and runs down their stems
41
overland flow
anywhere water flows over the land surface
42
through flow
movement of water down through the soil
43
transpiration
where Water vapour comes out leaves
44
evapotranspiration
water rises as vapour from the ground and released from leaves
45
ground water
water stored deep in the ground
46
soil water
water held between soil particles
47
ground water flow
when water flows through the ground/rock
48
percolation
when water enters permeable rock
49
ground water storage
water stored underground in bed rock
50
water - India
food supply increased, almost self sufficient as a result of supplies of irrigation water. The Narmada dam is a major source of controversy because of proposed relocation of small farmers from the valley
51
water - Ghana
akosombo dam provides hydropower for homes and industry has helped to raise the general standard of living in the south. It is subject to severe fluctuations under drought conditions
52
water - Nigeria
Kainji Dam on the Nigerian river has serious problems of siltation, reducing the effectiveness of irrigation and power supplied
53
Porosity
the amount of empty space in sediment or rocks
54
permeability
how connected pore spaces are to one another
55
aquitards
is an impermeable surface and water can’t flow through
56
Aquifer
soil or rock that can hold and transfer water that is completely saturated with water
57
water table
level below the earths surface at which the fortune water become saturated with water. The surface of an unconfined aquifer which fluctuates due to seasonal precipitation
58
zone of aeration
zone between the land surface and water table in which the pore spaces are only partially
59
zone of saturation
the zone below the water table that is saturated which groundwater, it extends from the water table downwards
60
subsurface geology
the study of geological features beneath the land, also known as underground geology, usually shows decreasing permeability and porosity with depth
61
inputs into the drainage basin
flooding, water surplus, precipitation
62
outputs out of the drainage system
runoff, evaporation, drought, water deficit
63
Transfers of water in the drainage basin
infiltration, overland flow, channel flow, through flow, stem flow, ground water flow
64
Stores of water in the drainage basin
lake and surface water, river channels, interception from plants, soil water, ground water
65
Water balance
the difference between the inputs and outputs
66
water balance equation
P = Q + E ± change in storage P = precipitation Q = runoff E = evaporation
67
potential evaporation
the amount of evaporation that could occur is there was sufficient water available in the system
68
discharge
the amount of water passing you each second
69
Changes to the water cycle
deforestation, storm events, seasonal changes, agriculture, urbanisation
70
soil water budget
shows the annual balance between inputs and outputs in the water cycle and their impact on soil water storage and availability. Depends on the type, depth and permeability and bedrock
71
global scale
97% global water 2.5% fresh water 69% glaciers 30% groundwater
72
Flood hydrographs
used to represent rainfall for the drainage basin and the river discharge
73
rising limb
the line on the graph that represents the discharge increasing
74
falling limb
the line on the graph that represents the discharge decreasing
75
lag time
the time between peak rainfall and peak discharge
76
baseflow
the level of groundwater flow
77
stormflow
comprised of overland flow and through flow
78
bankfull discharge
the maximum capacity of the river. If the discharge exceeds this then the river will burst its banks and be in flood
79
flashy Hydrograph
short lag time and high peak discharge most likely occur during a storm event, steep rising and falling limb, higher flood risk, urban
80
subdued Hydrograph
long lag time and low peak discharge, gradually rising and falling limb, lower flood risk, rural
81
Shape of the drainage basin
The shape of the drainage basin allows the water to flow downstream because of the different gradients and higher peak discharges.
82
Porosity
the amount of empty space in sediments or rocks, the amount of water a material can hold is directly related to the porosity
83
permeability
how connected pore spaces are to one another, water movement aquifers are dependent on the permeability of the material
84
aquitard
have low permeability and don’t transfer water, clay has high porosity, essentially a barrier which water can’t flow through
85
aquifer
soil or rocks that can hold and transfer water that id completely saturated with water, glacial or sandy soils have high porosity and permeable, they are replenished when the surface water infiltrates through the ground and refills the pore spaces in the aquifer
86
the water balance
the difference between inputs and outputs in the drainage basin
87
Equation of the water balance
p = Q + e += change in storage
88
potential evapotranspiration
the amount of evapotranspiration that could occur is there was sufficient water available in the system.
89
Runoff variation
varies between different rivers, in one river throughout the course of a year, river discharge
90
The river regime
The variability in its discharge throuhgout the course of the year in response to precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration, and drainage basin characteristics
91
factors influencing storm hydrographs
vegitation cover, rock type, lakes and resivoirs, drainage density, land use, rainfall intensity and duration, climate, slopes
92
hydrographs physical factors
shape of drainage basin, topography and relief, type of precipitation and duration, vegitation, geology and lithology
93
hydrographs human factors,
agriculture and forestry, climate change, urbanisation
94
how land use can effect the water cycle
deforestation, soil drainage, water abstraction
95
River exe
between the Bristol Channel and the English Channel, 50-60 miles distance, lots of tributaries, flooding easily, data collection points, gradient differs,
96
Exeter
major uni, large housing development east of the river, river goes round city not through, A359 2 lane major road, train line and station, main road, m5, motorway, commuters,
97
natural and human factors affecting the exe drainage basin
shales And sandstones - geology, mooorland and forestry for agriculture, subdued relief, small area of woodlands, shaped valley
98
River exe case study
Drainage basin surrounding from Exmoor to Exeter, Flashy regime - regime = discharge over year, Woodland 13% - with less moe runoff, Arable 23.5% - crops in fields, Grassland 57% - agricultural, cattle, Heath/bog 1.5%, Urban 4.5%, 80.5% farmland, Geology - 2.5% high permeability = 2.5% - moderate permeability = 32% - low permeability = 61.5% - birth together = 95.5% low and moderate, Less percolation taking place, soil thinning, Heightened flood risk - yearly discharge above normal value and can flow below normal value - extreme - seasons - 11,000 properties at risk if flooding, Exeter, Tiverton, Exmouth, Human activity - moorland drainage, drainage ditches, increase food production, cattle farmed easier, area of land more financially viable - post war to make money back in region(human reason why), Abstraction of water - for human use - Wimbleball reservoir - slowed down river flow - 10km long - 120km wide - 120 million litres, Agriculture compact soil - infiltration less - rapid surface runoff as of compacted soil, Peatland restoration - costs £2.2 million - covered 2000 hectares - slow the flow of water by regulating the flow - less silt = 20% less to treat - positive impacts on carbon cycles too, Elmore mires project - Restoring water saturation in moors as of what’s lost from the drainage ditches - Soil used as dams - Slowing down flow of water - not picking up as much sediment(reduced soil erosion) - treat water for drinking(reduced costs 20%) - regulated flows means less flashy as of through flow used more for transfer of water, Sphagnum moss - acts as sponge - hold 20x its own weight in water, After restoration - more water allows for more infiltration - dip wells - water table rise 2.2cm at the water table at monitoring site - 110 cubic metres of water per hectare
99
Recent developments
wimble reservoir = 1979 river haddeo dammed, regulates water flow, steady flow regime during year, flooding more likely and drought . Peatland = drainage ditches, reduces water quality, surface dries, decomposition, co2 released and methane
100

Physical Geography (3 decks)

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