Water Cycle Flashcards
(15 cards)
What are the flows within a drainage basin?
Infiltration
Overland flow
Throughfall
Stemflow
Throughflow
Percolation
Groundwater flow
Baseflow
Interflow
Channel flow
What is throughfall?
Water dripping from one leaf to another
What is stemflow?
Water running down a plant stem or tree trunk
What is interflow?
Water flowing downhill through the river or stream itself
What is infiltration?
Water soaking into the soil
What is percolation?
Water seeping through soil and into the water table
What are the outputs within a drainage basin?
Evapotranspiration
River discharge
What are the inputs into a drainage basin?
Precipitation
What is the water balance?
The balance of inputs and outputs
What are the surface stores within a drainage basin?
Ponds
Puddles
Lakes
What are the groundwater stores within a drainage basin?
Aquifers
Soil moisture
What does a hydrograph show?
River discharge over a period of time measured in the volume of water that passes through a river per second
What factors can influence the shape of a hydrograph?
The size of the drainage basin
The shape of the drainage basin
Rock and soil type
Ground steepness
What physical factors can influence the variations in runoff?
Storms and precipitation
Seasonal changes
What human factors can influence the variations in run off?
Water abstraction
Farming practices
Land use change e.g. urbanisation
