Water Balance

Question 1

What is the water balance?

Answer 1

balance between inputs and outputs in the water cycle, which determines fluxes and stores

Question 2

What is potential evapotranspiration?

Answer 2

a measure of how much water could be lost into the atmosphere if water availability was not limited

Question 3

What is soil water?

Answer 3

water stored in pores in the soil

Question 4

What is soil called when its pores are filled with water?

Answer 4

saturated

Question 5

Why might saturated soil not stay saturated for very long?

Answer 5

water is pulled down by gravity into bedrock (percolation)

Question 6

What is field capacity?

Answer 6

water that remains in the soil pores (usually after periods of saturation) where pore spaces are not filled

Question 7

What happens as soil water decreases?

Answer 7

soil reaches wilting point

Question 8

When is potential evapotranspiration likely to be high?

Answer 8

in summer, as warmer temperatures lead to more vegetation and therefore more evapotranspiration

Question 9

When is potential evapotranspiration likely to be low?

Answer 9

in winter, as lower temperatures and less vegetation (in deciduous areas). Not enough heat for water to evaporate