Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Physical Geography - Concepts > Water & Carbon > Flashcards

Water & Carbon Flashcards

(78 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Define a drainage basin

A

Area of land drained by a river and its tributaries, it is an open system with external inputs and outputs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Give examples of inputs and outputs for a drainage basin

A

Inputs - Rain, hail, snow

Outputs - Evaporation, Transpiration, Discharge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the physical factors impacting a drainage basin?

A

Climate - Influences type and amount of precipitation, and the amount of evaporation
Soils - Determine the amount of infiltration
Vegetation - Presence/absence of vegetation has a large impact on the amount of interception, infiltration and transpiration rates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the human factors impacting a drainage basin?

A

River management - Reservoirs/dams restrict flows, abstraction of water reduces flow
Deforestation - Greatly increases surface runoff
Land use - Urbanisation means more impermeable surfaces (greater runoff), agriculture (soil compacted by livestock means more runoff)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Name 2 case studies for drainage basins

A

Malham Cove - Found in limestone country, permeable rock leads water underground, it then travels along impermeable rock to form streams (e.g. at the foot of Malham cove)
Heavy rains during 2014 storms changed the basin, limestone became impermeable, forming a waterfall
Amazon Basin - world’s largest area of tropical basin, has been impacted by human activity. Deforestation has lowered precipitation rates, increased surface runoff and soil erosion etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is a river regime?

A

The annual variation in discharge or flow of a river at a particular point

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the 6 factors affecting a river regime?

A

The size of the river & where discharge measurements are taken
Human activities
The geology (permeability) and soil type
The amount, pattern and intensity of precipitation
The temperatures
Amount of vegetation/type of vegetation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Give 3 river regime case studies

A

The Amazon River - Approximately 6300km long, peak discharge in April/May (snowmelt from the Andes), lowest discharge in September. Human activity (deforestation) has increased runoff, soil erosion etc.
The Yukon River - Approximately 3500km long, tundra climate, peak discharge in May/June, lowest discharge December to May
The River Nile - Hot climate, 6800km long, has been heavily affected by human activity, construction of Aswan Damn in 1970 > flow below the dam was reduced by 65%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the three types of drought?

A

Meteorological - Long term precipitation is much lower, region-specific as atmospheric conditions that cause lower precipitation vary betwen climates
Agricultural - Occurs when there is insufficient soil moisture to meet the needs of a particular place, during critical periods of crop growth
Hydrological - Occurs when there are deficiencies in surface and sub-surface water supplies, as measured in rivers, lakes, dams and groundwater

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is an El Nino event?

A

Temperature anomaly occurring every 3-7 years. Trade winds are disrupted, air circulation reversed, ocean currents are effected, e.g. warm water near places like Australia is replaced by cooler water.
El Nino events trigger very dry conditions throughout the world.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is a La Nina event?

A

May follow an El Nino event - Involve the build up of cool sub-surface water in the tropical part of the Pacific. Can lead to severe droughts, particularly in South America

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the physical causes of Desertification?

A

Lower rainfall
Increased drought
Global warming, higher temperatures, increased evaporation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How do humans contribute to desertification?

A

Increased numbers of livestock
Population growth
Over-abstraction, over-cultivation, deforestation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Give an example of desertification

A

The Sahel - High population growth, increasing birth rates & falling death rates - Farmers expand to adapt to higher demand, more grass ploughed, vegetation cannot re-establish itself, soil exposed to erosion, loses moisture through evaporation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Give an example of drought

A

Australia - Recurring annual feature, 30% of Australia affected by serious or severe rainfall deficiency. Linked to El Nino events, droughts have become more frequent and severe (e.g. 2006 ‘Big Dry’) - Australia has not experienced desertification due to careful management of water resources, e.g. large scale recycling of grey water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the physical causes of flooding?

A

Intense storms which lead to flash flooding
Prolonged, heavy rain, such as the passage of deep depressions across the UK
Rapid snowmelt during a particularly warm spring

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How is the likelihood of flooding increased by a place’s physical circumstances?

A

Low-lying areas with impermeable surfaces, areas that experience volcanic activity (which generates meltwater beneath ice sheets that is suddenly released) are all more susceptible to flooding

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How do human activities contribute to flood risk?

A

Deforestation - Increases runoff etc.
Channelisation - Lowers flood risk at one point of a river, increases risk elsewhere
Dams - Blocks flow of sediment down the river, soil erosion below the dam increases
River embankments - Built to stop flooding, but if a flood exceeds their capacity the can fail and make scale of flood worse
Urbanisation - Impermeable surfaces

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are the socioeconomic impacts of flooding?

A

Deaths/injuries
Property damage, loss of homes, businesses, farmland
Interruption of water/energy supplies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are the environmental impacts (positive and negative) of flooding?

A

Positive - Recharged groundwater sources, soil replenishment
Negative - Mostly caused by human activities prior to flooding, e.g. eutrophication of water bodies, transfer of pollutants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Describe 2 case studies of places that have experienced flooding

A

1 - The UK, winter floods of 2015-16, prolonged heavy rainfall (at different times of the year), in 2016 large areas of UK received more than twice the average amount of rainfall.
Flood defences in the UK were not made to deal with such severe flooding, billions in damage
2 - Bangladesh, flood-prone country due to many major rivers running through the country (Ganges, Padma etc.), these rivers are swollen twice a year by meltwater from mountains like the Himalayas.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the impacts of climate change on the inputs and outputs of the hydrological cycle?

A

Precipitation - Warmer atmosphere has a greater water-holding capacity, wide increases in the intensity of rainfall are expected, places with precipitation increases will include the tropics and areas with high latitudes
Soil Moisture - Uncertainty over this, climate is only one factor of many affecting soil moisture, areas where precipitation is increasing will likely see increasing soil moisture
Evaporation - Evaporation over large areas (e.g. North America|) seems to be increasing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What are the impacts of climate change on the flows and stores of the hydrological cycle?

A

Surface runoff and stream flows - More low flows (droughts) and high flows (floods), increased runoff, reduced infiltration
Oceans - Warming oceans will have higher evaporation & possibly more cyclones, rising sea levels
Glaciers - Evidence of glacier retreat and ice sheet thinning since 1970s

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Name 4 of the reason for increased water insecurity

A

Decreasing rainfall in many areas as a result of global warming
Depleted aquifers lead to problems with groundwater
More frequent cyclones, monsoons and storms threaten water supplies intermittently
Increased frequency and intensity of droughts as a result of global warming

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What has population growth and economic development, in many countries, led to?
Water insecurity
26
What are the factors that reduce water availability?
Climate (precipitation, evaporation) Saltwater enroachment at coast/ discharge of water into the sea Water contamination by agricultural, industrial and domestic pollution Over abstraction from rivers, aquifers etc.
27
What are the 3 major factors in growing water demand?
Population growth - More people = more thirst Economic development - Increases demand for water in all industries Rising living standards - Increases per capita consumption
28
What is water scarcity?
Access to water is lower than 1000 m3 per person
29
Distinguish between physical and economic water scarcity
Physical - When more than 75% of a country's blue water is being used (e.g. Middle East, North Africa) Economic - When use of blue water sources is limited by lack of technology, governance etc. (mostly seen in Africa)
30
What are the 2 main causes of water scarcity?
Lack of precipitation | Lack of ability to harness blue water available
31
Give examples of water scarcity hotspots
US - Ogalla aquifer provides 1 third of irrigation water but is depleting rapidly Sub-Saharan Africa - Economic scarcity, large amounts of poverty, lack of infrastuctural development China - North has severe scarcity, has led to the South-North water transfer scheme
32
Describe Karachi's water crisis
Arid climate, little rainfall annually Govt. can only supply 50% of the water that Karachi needs Hub Dam went dry in 2016, the city now relies on the Indus River (130km away) No equal distribution system, 'water mafias' steal water from tankers and sell it on the black market
33
Describe the effects of agriculture, industry and domestic use have on water supply
Agriculture - Main consumer of water, 20% of world's land under irrigation, takes most water from aquifers > leading to massive groundwater depletion Industry - 20% of of all freshwater withdrawals are for industrial production (e.g. steel and chemical industries), mostly used for hydroelectric power (and so returns to cycle through evaporation) Domestic use - Economic development means more water use (rising living standards) > could lead to spread of disease if water is not properly sanitised
34
Why do water conflicts arise?
The demand for water overtakes the available supply
35
How can water conflicts become international?
When the water source is trans-boundary
36
Give a water conflict case study
The River Nile - 11 countries compete for its water, 300 million people live within the Nile basin (set to double by 2030), water from the Nile needed for domestic use and agriculture, building of dams causes conflict > e.g. dams built in Sudan/Ethiopia deprived Egypt of water
37
What are the two approaches to managing water supply?
Hard engineering schemes | Sustainable water management
38
What are the three main hard engineering schemes?
Water transfer schemes - The diversion of water from one basin to another, by diverting a river/building a canal Dams - 60% of world's major rivers are impeded by large dams Desalination - Process of making saltwater sustainable for human use
39
Give case studies for the hard engineering water management schemes
Water transfer schemes - China, South-North transfer project, plans to move water from Yangtze river to industrial north (more arid) > can cause water scarcity for source area, environmental degradation Dams - Large dams on rivers such as the Nile, Yangtze and Colorado, very expensive, can disrupt water supply downstream Desalination - Middle East countries (e.g. Saudi Arabia and the UAE) are beginning to look to this process as the price of freshwater rises
40
What are the major processes used in sustainable water management?
Smart irrigation - new technology minimises waster by sprinklers and surface flow systems Recycling of grey water - re-using water from domestic use for agriculture Filtration technology - There is little dirty water that cannot be purified and recycled Restoration - Restoring damaged lakes, rivers etc. so they can play a role in the hydrological cycle again
41
What is an example of a country using sustainable water management?
Singapore - Few natural resources, thriving economy, high living standards & high per capita consumption > water management is now a top priority. Govt. encourages citizens to use water resourcefully, large re-use of grey water, greater desalination of seawater
42
What are carbon stores and fluxes?
Stores - Acts as both sources (adding carbon) and sinks (removing carbon) within the carbon cycle Fluxes - Movements of carbon from one store to the other
43
What 3 are the 3 forms Carbon is found in?
Inorganic - Rocks Organic - Plants Gaseous - Found as CO2, Methane and Carbon Monoxide
44
Define the terms Carbon sequestration and Carbon pumps
Sequestration - Process by which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and held in solid/liquid form Pumps - The processes operating in the oceans that circulate and store carbon
45
What is the world's largest carbon store?
The oceans
46
What are three types of carbon pumps?
Biological - CO2 moved from ocean surface to marine plants (phytoplankton) via photosynthesis. CO2 becomes food for microscopic animals, most CO2 is recycled near surface, 30% sinks into deeper water Carbonate - Form sediments from from dead organisms that sink to ocean floor (e.g. shells of crustaceans that are rich in calcium carbonate) Physical - Move carbon compounds to different parts of the ocean through downwellings (cold, dense water sinks), these currents bring dissolved CO2 to the deep ocean where it can stay for hundreds of years
47
What is the Thermohaline Circulation and what is its role in the Carbon Cycle?
Physical pump, global system of surface and deep ocean currents. Driven by temperature and salinity differences. Warmer currents nearer to the surface, colder currents deeper
48
What is the Gulf Stream and how is it significant as part of the thermohaline circulation?
Warm current of water, travels from the Gulf of Mexico to Europe. Ice cap melting has slowed down the Gulf Stream in recent years (colder, denser water added to the current) and it is predicted that the Gulf Stream will completely fail in the future > this would alter European climates, global warming would be slowed down
49
What are the biggest soils of terrestrial carbon?
Soils
50
What is the amount of carbon stored in soils dependant on?
Climate - Dictates rates of plant growth/decomposition Vegetation cover Soil type - e.g. clay rich soils protect carbon from decomposition Land use - soil disturbance = carbon loss
51
What is increasingly unbalancing the Carbon cycle?
Human interference
52
What is the number 1 threat to the carbon cycle?
Fossil fuel combustion
53
What is energy security?
A state in which there is an uninterrupted availability of energy at a national level (and an affordable price)
54
Who are the key players in energy security?
Consumers National Government TNCs OPEC (IGO)
55
What is OPEC and give an example of its role in regulating energy security
OPEC - Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (e.g. Saudi Arabia) Aims to create stable income for oil producing countries, controls over 40% of world's oil supply Maintains stability by coordinating its 14 member states, e.g. 2004, decreased Iraq's output as it was at war and increased output of other members
56
What is a country's energy mix?
The combination of different energy sources available to meet a country's energy demand
57
Give an example of a national government regulating its energy security
Russia, Gazprom - State-controlled since 2000, one of the largest producers of natural gas in the world, Europe is its biggest customer (e.g. Germany imported 40 billion m3 in 2013) Conflicts with other countries (e.g. 2014 Ukraine) makes Russia's exports vulnerable, following conflict in 2014 EU and US imposed sanctions causing a decline in profits
58
What are some of the alternative energy sources that make up a country's energy mix?
``` Oil Coal Gas Nuclear Biofuels Hydroelectric ```
59
Distinguish between primary and secondary energy
Primary - Any form of energy found in nature > hasn't been subject to conversion/transformation Secondary - Energy derived from the conversion or transformation of primary energies
60
Give an example of a national government regulating its energy mix
Denmark - Diverse energy mix, wind turbine produce about 40% of country's electricity, has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 30% since 1990, Danish govt. has taken a holistic approach to regulating its energy mix
61
What are the 8 main factors affecting per capita energy consumption?
``` Economic development Physical availability Technology Cost Public perceptions Climate Environmental priorities ```
62
What are energy pathways?
Routes by which fossil fuels are transported between countries
63
How can energy pathways be disrupted?
Piracy attacks by criminals - e.g. Strait of Malacca between Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore has become world's second largest chokepoint Terrorism - e.g. Nigeria pipelines bombed by militants in 2013 (300,000 barrels of oil lost per day) Extreme weather events - e.g. UK storms, gas reserves fell to 6 hours worth War - e.g. Syria civil war since 2011 Political conflict - e.g. Russia and Europe
64
What are the four main unconventional fossil fuels being used as energy sources?
Deep water oil - Companies have to look into deeper ocean waters as accessible reserves run out > higher risks (e.g. 2011 Deepwater Horizon) Tar Sands - Type of petroleum called bitumen taken from naturally occurring mixtures of sand, clay and water Shale Gas - Methane trapped in fractures of sandstones and shales Oil Shale - Organic compounds deposited in sedimentary rocks that need heat & time to become conventional oil
65
What are the downsides of exploiting these unconventional fossil fuels?
All fossil fuels and so will continue to threaten the carbon cycle Extraction is costly All threaten environmental damage
66
What are the 4 major renewable energy sources?
Nuclear Biofuels Wind Solar
67
What are the costs and benefits of Nuclear power?
Costs - Contaminates water sources with radiation, controversial due to risk posed by a failure (e.g. Chernobyl), costly, e.g. Hinkley point £18 billion Benefits - No greenhouse gas emissions, creates jobs, e.g. Hinkley points 25,000 jobs
68
What are the costs and benefits of Solar energy?
Costs - large land usage, individual expense is high, dependent on season/climate Benefits - No CO2 emissions, can provide energy to a large area, e.g. 75% of Bournemouth
69
What are the costs and benefits of wind energy?
Costs - Can anger locals who call them unsightly, very noisy, expensive to install and maintain Benefits - Non-polluting, create jobs (e.g. 2000 jobs crested for Hornsea project), can provide power for many homes, e.g. Hornsea, 1 million homes powered
70
Who is the world's leading producer of biofuels?
Brazil - Since 1970s they have diversified their energy mix and improved their energy security
71
What are the costs and benefits of biofuels?
Costs - Requires use of pesticides and fertilisers to grow crops, these use fossil fuels, leads to clearing of forest areas to relocate industries displaced by growth of biofuel crops (e.g. Large areas of Amazon rainforest now being cleared for cattle ranching) Benefits - Renewable energy source, do not need specialist machinery to grow, bio-degradable
72
What are the 5 main types of radical energy solutions?
``` Hydrogen fuel cells Electric vehicles Nuclear Fusion Nanotechnology Carbon capture and storage ```
73
What are the positives and negatives of hydrogen fuel cells?
Hydrogen fuel cells - Quickly recharged, can travel further (no range anxiety), main emission is water > Expensive to buy ($60,000 for a base model) and expensive to have hydrogen charging stations, hydrogen is flammable
74
What are the positives and negatives of Carbon capture and storage?
Carbon Capture and Storage - CCS could cut global CO2 emissions by 19% (crucial in limiting temp. rise) > very expensive, first plant opened in Canada in 2014 at a cost of $1.3 billion, uncertainty over whether carbon would remain stored underground
75
What are the positives and negatives of Nuclear fusion?
No greenhouse gas emissions or radioactivity | Research still needed to commercialise it (however 35 countries signed an agreement to work together on developing it)
76
What is the difference between Adaptation and Mitigation/
Adaptation - Changing ways of living in order to cope with the outcomes of global warming Mitigation - Reducing or preventing GHG emissions by devising new technologies and adopting low carbon energies
77
Give 4 examples of adaptation strategies
Resilient agricultural systems Land-Use planning Flood-Risk management Solar radiation management
78
What are the benefits and costs of resilient agricultural systems?
Higher-tech, drought-tolerant species help resistance to climate change and spread of disease, generate healthier soils, may help CO2 sequestering > More expensive tech, not feasible for poorer subsistence farmers, may not be fully understood before mass production as places look for a 'quick fix' to food insecurity

Physical Geography - Concepts (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions