Water

Question 1

hat are the main water stores in the hydrological cycle?

Answer 1

Oceans: Hold about 96.9% of Earth’s water.

Cryosphere: Glaciers and ice caps.

Groundwater: Aquifers.

Surface Water: Rivers, lakes.

Soil Moisture: Water in unsaturated soil.

Atmosphere: Water vapor.

Biosphere: Water within living organisms.

Question 2

Define key fluxes in the water cycle.

Answer 2

Evaporation: Water turning into vapor from surfaces.

Transpiration: Water vapor released from plants.

Condensation: Vapor cooling to form liquid.

Precipitation: Water falling as rain, snow, etc.

Infiltration: Water entering the soil.

Percolation: Water moving through soil to groundwater.

Runoff: Water flowing over land into water bodies

Question 3

What is fossil water?

Answer 3

Ancient groundwater stored in aquifers for thousands of years.

Non-renewable on human timescales.

Question 4

What is a drainage basin

Answer 4

An area of land where precipitation collects and drains off into a common outlet, like a river.

Bounded by a watershed.

Question 5

what are the types of drought

Answer 5

Meteorological hydrological agricultural food deficit/economic