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Physical Geography - Edexcel > Water Cycle And Water Security - Set 1 > Flashcards

Water Cycle And Water Security - Set 1 Flashcards

(51 cards)

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1
Q

Transpiration

A

Diffusion of water from vegetation into the atmosphere, involving a change from a gas to a liquid

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2
Q

Groundwater flow

A

Slow transfer of percolated water underground through previous or porous rocks

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3
Q

Residence time

A

Average time a water molecule will spend in a reservoir or store

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4
Q

Fossil water

A

Ancient, deep groundwater from former pluvial (wetter) periods

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5
Q

Blue water

A

Water stored in liquid form

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6
Q

Green water

A

Water stored in the soil and vegetation

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7
Q

Why do some water stores have long residence times

A

Ice sheets - up to 10,000 years as it is inaccessible to physical and human processes

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8
Q

Garamantes - ancient people from 400BC

A
  • based in the Sahara desert - exploited groundwater for farm animals - 50m holes dug into the ground - groundwater was exploited and ran out and the tribe was lost
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9
Q

Gravitational potential energy

A

Main driving factor in the hydrological cycle - Ways in which water accelerates under gravity, thus transporting it to rivers and the sea

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10
Q

What happed during the last ice age

A

More water was held in the Cryosphere - sea levels were 140m lower - modern day and global warming is melting ice, leading to rising sea levels

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11
Q

Stores and flows - Oceans

A

Vast majority of water is stored in liquid form with only a small fraction as icebergs

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12
Q

Stores and flows - Cryosphere

A

Water largely found in a solid state with some liquid being from meltwater and lakes

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13
Q

Stores and flows - Terrestrial

A

Water stored as rivers, lakes etc - can also be stored in vegetation after interception

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14
Q

Stores and flows - Atmosphere

A

Water largely exists as vapour in the atmosphere with the carrying capacity linked with temps - clouds can contain small droplets of water = ice crystals

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15
Q

Drainage basin

A
  • Area of land drained by a river - subsystem within the hydrological cycle - open system with external inputs
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16
Q

Convectional rainfall

A

Common in tropical areas - warm temps make ability to hold water vapour low and thus rainfall occurs

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17
Q

Cyclonic rainfall

A

Warm air (lighter) is forced to rise over cold denser air - as it rises it’s ability to hold water decreases

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18
Q

Orographic rainfall

A

Concentrated on windward slopes and summit of mountains

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19
Q

Infiltration

A

Water soaks into the soil - infiltration capacity is at maximum rate at which rain can be absorbed by soil in a given condition

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20
Q

Percolation

A

Continuation of infiltration process - deep transfer of water into permeable rocks

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21
Q

Overland flow

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A
  • AKA surface run-off - Concept developed by Horton - main way water was transferred to the river - precipitation must exceed the infiltration rates
22
Q

Saturated overland flow

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A

Slow transfer as results from upward movement of water table into evaporation zone - after winter storms the water table rises

23
Q

Through flow

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A

Lateral transfers of water down-slope through the soil via natural pipes

24
Q

Evaporation

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A

Moisture lost directly into atmosphere from water surfaces and soil

25
Transpiration
Biological process by which water is lost from the atmosphere - depend on time of year and vegetation cover etc
26
Drainage basins physical factors - Climate
- Inputs = amount of precipitation - Flows = More direct run off when precipitation is greater and more intense - Outputs = Evaporation and transpiration are greater when hotter
27
Drainage basins physical factors - Vegetation
- Inputs = High transpiration rates increases local rainfall - Flows = Large forests intercept a lot of rain, slowing infiltration and run-off - Outputs = Tree cover increases evapotranspiration and reduces channel flow
28
Drainage basins physical factors - Soils
- Flows = Soils with more space allow more water to infiltrate, reducing overland flow but increasing throughflow - Outputs = Clay soils reduce infiltration and increase evaporation from ground and run-off
29
Drainage basins physical factors - Geology
- Flows = Permeable rocks allow more percolation = increase groundwater flow - Outputs = Impermeable rocks prevent percolation, causing saturation of soils = more overland flow
30
Drainage basins physical factors - Relief
- Inputs = Orographic rainfall created by high ground - AKA relief rainfall - Flows = Steeper slopes cause reduced infiltration = more run off - Outputs = slopes direct water into channels
31
Effects of land use on drainage basins
- e.g. deforestation - also increased evaporation from reservoirs and dams - Channelisation cuts down surface storage and thus lowers evaporation
32
Flashy Hydrographs
- Higher drainage density = more streams and rivers = water moves quicker to measuring point - Impermeable rocks = more surface run off - Short lag tome, high peak, steep rising limb - Circular basins have short lag time - Urbanisation = more impermeable surfaces
33
Subdued Hydrographs
- Long lag time, low peak, gently sloping rising limb - Unsaturated soils and dry basins = high infiltration - Permeable rocks such as limestone - Steady rainfall which is less than the saturation capacity of the soil
34
Northern hemisphere water basins
- Polar climate - Precipitation low all year - Evapotranspiration between may and Sept when temps are highest - Temperate climate - e.g the UK - Precipitation similar all year with slight decrease in summer months - Tropical climate - e.g. Brazil - Highest rainfall in Feb - average temps stay around 25 degrees - Rainfall much lower from May to November
35
Water budgets
- Balance between inputs and outputs - determines the amount of moisture in an areas atmosphere
36
Soil Moisture
- Important for successful plant growth
37
Global atmospheric circulation - Hadley Cell
- Hadley cell is closest to the equator - Low pressure - warm moist air rises and creates clouds and rain
38
Global atmospheric circulation - Ferrel Cell
- Middle cell - cold dry air from the arctic is sinking and warms before heading back to the arctic
39
Global atmospheric circulation - Polar cell
- Furthest from the equator warm air is rising
40
River regime definition
Annual variation in discharge or flow of a river at a particular point or gauging station, usually measured in cumecs
41
What factors influence river regime
- Size of River and where measurements are taken in the basin - Geology and soil types - temperature experienced - Human activities such as dam building
42
Type of drought - Meteorological
- Shortfall in precipitation - increases the duration of the dry period - Causes = natural variances in the atmospheric conditions and longer term climate change events such as El Nino
43
Type of drought - Hydrological
- Reduced stream flow and groundwater levels - Causes - reduced inputs of precipitation - Impact - Reduced storage in lakes and reservoirs - leads to poorer water quality - major threat to wetland habitats
44
Type of drought - Agricultural
- Rainfall deficiency from meteorological drought leads to deficiency of soil moisture and soil water availability - Causes - Farming practices accelerate processes = overgrazing - Impacts - Poor yields from rain-fed crops and decline in pasture quality - farmers require government aid
45
Type of drought - Famine
- Widespread failure of agricultural systems - leads to famine - Causes - wealthier and larger population = growing demand for water - Impact - Humanitarian crisis e.g. 2012 - 2014 in the horn of Africa
46
How were droughts in the Sahel region of Africa influenced by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ICZ)
- June to Aug the Northern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun - ICZ moves north = wet season - Opposite happens from Dec-Feb in Southern hemisphere causing drought in northern hemisphere such as the Sahel region
47
Mid latitude blocking anticyclones
- anticyclones bring stable weather with little precipitation - causes drought in mid latitude countries such as the UK e.g. UK from 2010-2012
48
El Nino southern Oscillation - ENSO - Normal year
- Warm air rises over Australia and sinks over the Americas - Trade winds blow westward - Know as the Walker circulation
49
El Nino year
- High pressure over Australia causes cool air to sink and travel with warm sea currents to Americas where it rises as hot air
50
La Nina year
- Amplified version of normal year - Very low pressure over Australia causes warm air to rise - Very high pressure over the Americas causes cool air to sink - surface flow (through strengthened trade winds due to the increased pressure difference) then carries this air to Australia
51
Effects of El Nino
- Drought in The Americas, Kenya area and southern India - 30cm rise in sea levels in Chile - East Pacific becomes 8 degrees warmer which overrides the cold northbound Humbolt current thus braking the food chain

Physical Geography - Edexcel (15 decks)

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