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Physical Geography: Water and Carbon cycle > Water and carbon cycle glossary > Flashcards

Water and carbon cycle glossary Flashcards

1
Q

aquifer

A

a body of rock and/or sediment that holds groundwater
precipitation has infiltrated the soil and collects in empty spaces underground

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1
Q

atmosphere

A

a mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth

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2
Q

carbon budget

A

the amount of carbon stored and transferred within the carbon cycle on global or local scale

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2
Q

burial and compaction

A

layers form as sediment piles up on itself and the heavy weight compacts these layers.

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2
Q

carbon farming

A

a new way of farming to sequestrate carbon in the soil

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2
Q

carbon sequestration

A

the process of capturing, securing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for a prolonged period of time in a carbon store

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2
Q

carbon capture and storage

A

the capturing of carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes, the carbon is transported and then stored deep underground in geological formations

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3
Q

closed system

A

allows energy but not mass across its system boundary

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3
Q

carbon sink

A

anything that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases

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3
Q

carbon source

A

A store of carbon where the amount of carbon leaving the output is greater than the input

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3
Q

combustion

A

the burning of material in the presence of oxygen

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4
Q

condensation

A

physical process where gas becomes liquid

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5
Q

cryosphere

A

the frozen parts of the planet

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6
Q

decomposition

A

the breakdown of animals and plant structures by bacteria which releases carbon compounds into the atmosphere, soil and ocean floor

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6
Q

deforestation

A

the purposeful clearing of forested land

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7
Q

desertification

A

when fertile land becomes dry, cracked and desert like which leaves soils unproductive

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8
Q

drainage basin

A

the area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

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9
Q

discharge

A

the volume of water which flows through a river in a given time

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10
Q

evaporation

A

when water leaves the soil/surface as vapour and into the atmosphere

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10
Q

dynamic equilibrium

A

when a systems inputs and outputs are balanced

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11
Q

evapotranspiration

A

When water evaporates from the surface of soil and transpired from plants into the atmosphere

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12
Q

flood (storm) hydrograph

A

a graph of the discharge of a river leading up to and following a storm or rainfall event. They are important as they predict how a river might respond to a storm event, this can aid management of the river.

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12
Q

flows

A

transfer of water

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13
Q

gauging station

A

the site on a stream, canal, lake, or reservoir where systematic observations of gauge height (water level) or discharge are obtained

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14
Q

groundwater flow

A

the deeper movement of water through underlying permeable rock strata below the water table

15
Q

halosere

A

a succession in a saline environment

16
Q

hydrocarbons

A

they make up fossil fuels; a composition of a combination of hydrogen and carbon

16
Q

hillslope system

A

the flanks of valleys and the margins or eroding uplands

17
Q

hydrosphere

A

total amount of water on the planet

18
Q

impermeable

A

lack of pores

19
Q

infiltration

A

downward movement of water into the soil surface

20
Q

input

A

addition of matter or energy into a system

21
Q

interception

A

when precipitation lands on buildings, vegetation and concrete before it reaches the soil

22
Q

irrigation

A

applying water to land in order to supply crops and planets with necessary water

23
Q

lithosere

A

a sere is when it originates from a rock. a plant succession that begins life on a newly exposed rock surface

24
Q

lithosphere

A

rocky outer part of earth

25
Q

negative feedback

A

when the system goes back into equilibrium since the actions or changes are nullified

26
Q

output

A

when matter or energy leaves the system

27
Q

open system

A

the systems receive inputs and transfer outputs of energy or matter with other systems

28
Q

overland flow

A

the flow of water that occurs when excess stormwater, meltwater or other sources flows over the earths surface

29
Q

percolation

A

similar to infiltration but its a deeper transfer of water into permeable rocks

30
Q

permeable

A

lots of pores

31
Q

photosynthesis

A

absorption of co2 from the atmosphere and from oceans to produce organic carbon structures

32
Q

positive feedback

A

when changes or actions are amplified taking the system out of equilibrium

33
Q

precipitation

A

when clouds rain/ all forms of moisture that reaches the earth’s surface

34
Q

psammosere

A

a seral community, and ecological succession that began life on newly exposed costal sand

35
Q

recharge

A

occurs in autumn when precipitation exceeds potential evapotranspiration

36
Q

respiration

A

releasing co2 into the atmosphere and breathing in oxygen

37
Q

river regime

A

the changes in a rivers discharge over the course of a year in response to factors like precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration and the physical properties of the drainage basin

38
Q

runoff

A

when water does not evaporate and does not absorb into the soil and joins a body of water eg. Lake, pond or river

39
Q

sere

A

originates from a rock

40
Q

soil moisture (water) budget

A

the annual balance between inputs and outputs and their impact on soil water availability and are influenced by climate type

41
Q

store

A

where matter or energy builds up in the system

42
Q

sublimation

A

the conversion between the solid and the gaseous phases of matter with no intermediate liquid stage

43
Q

throughflow

A

movement of water through soil

44
Q

urbanisation

A

growth in the proportion of a country living in urban areas

45
Q

vegetation succession

A

the evolution of plant communities at a site over time from pioneer species to climax vegetation

46
Q

water abstraction

A

the process of taking water from a ground source

47
Q

water balance

A

how the amount of precipitation compares with the water leaving the system as runoff or as evapotranspiration

48
Q

water table

A

an underground boundary between the soil surface and the area where groundwater saturates spaces between sediments and cracks in rock

49
Q

watershed

A

imaginary line separating drainage basins

50
Q

weathering

A

breakdown of rocks at the earths surface by the action of rain water, extreme temperatures and biological activity

Physical Geography: Water and Carbon cycle (6 decks)

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