Water EQ1

Question 1

what is an example of a closed system

Answer 1

a global hydrological cycle

Question 2

what is the global hydrological cycle

Answer 2

circulation of water around the earth

Question 3

what are the two powers which drive the global hydrological cycle

Answer 3

1. solar energy - as a form of heat

2. gravitational energy - causes rivers to flow downhill and precipitation to fall to the ground

Question 4

what is a store?

Answer 4

reservoirs where water is held

Question 5

what are the 4 main stores in the global hydrological cycle?

Answer 5

1. oceans
2. glaciers
3. surface runoff
4. atmosphere

Question 6

what are flows?

Answer 6

transfers of water from one store to another

Question 7

what are the 4 main flows in the global hydrological cycle?

Answer 7

1. precipitation
2. evaporation
3. transpiration
4. vapour transport

Question 8

what are fluxes?

Answer 8

the rates of flow between stores

Question 9

where do the greatest fluxes occur?

Answer 9

in the oceans

Question 10

what is the global water budget?

Answer 10

all the water that is held in the stores and flows of the global hydrological cycle

Question 11

what is a residence time?

Answer 11

average time a molecule of water will spend in one of the stores

Question 12

what percentage of all water is freshwater?

Answer 12

2.5%

Question 13

what percentage of freshwater is easily accessible surface freshwater?

Answer 13

1%

Question 14

what two water stores are non renewable?

Answer 14

cryosphere and fossil water (ancient deep groundwater from wetter periods)

Question 15

what are the main stores of easily accessible surface freshwater?

Answer 15

lakes and soil moisture

Question 16

what is an example of a open system?

Answer 16

drainage basin

Question 17

what is a drainage basin?

Answer 17

subsystem within the global hydrological cycle, it has external inputs and outputs. they vary in size as the inputs vary overtime therefore the amount of water varies as well

Question 18

what is the main input in a drainage basin?

Answer 18

precipitation

Question 19

characteristics of precipitation which impacts a drainage basin?

Answer 19

1. form - rain, snow, hail
2. amount -this will affect the amount of water in a drainage basin and fluxes
3. intensity - the greater the intensity, the greater the likelihood of flooding
4. seasonality - drainage basin system operating at different flow levels at different time of the year
5. distribution - where tributaries start in different climate zones

Question 20

what are the 7 flows in transferring water into the drainage system?

Answer 20

1. interception = retention of water by plants and soils which is absorbed by vegetation
2. infiltration = process by which water soaks into or is absorbed by the soil
3. percolation = similar to infiltration, but a deeper transfer of water into permeable rocks
4. through flow = the lateral transfer of water down slope through the soil
5. groundwater flow = the very slow transfer of percolated water through previous or porous rocks
6. surface runoff - movement of water that is unconfined by a channel across the surface of the ground
7. river/channel flow = takes over as soon as the water enters a river or stream

Question 21

what are the three main outputs of a drainage basin?

Answer 21

1. evaporation - moisture is lost directly into the atmosphere
2. transpiration - biological process by which water is lost from plants through minute pores and transferred to the atmosphere
3. channel flow - into a larger drainage basin

Question 22

what are the human factors affecting a drainage basin???

Answer 22

• river management
• deforestation
• changing land use - agriculture
• changing land use - urbanisation

Question 23

what is a storm hydrograph?

Answer 23

a graph showing changes in the discharge of a river over a short period of time. It shows the rate flow (discharge) versus time past a specific point

Question 24

what are the two types of hydrograph?

Answer 24

1. flashy hydrograph with a short lag time and high peak

2. flat hydrograph with a low peak

Question 25

what type of factors is a flashy hydrograph influenced by?

Answer 25

human factors such as: - deforestation - urbanisation - agricultural use

Question 26

what type of factors is a flat hydrograph influenced by?

Answer 26

physical factors

Question 27

what is a water budget/ balance?

Answer 27

balance between precipitation, evaporation and run off. it is a tool to assess the current status and trends in water resources availability in an area or over a period of time

Question 28

what is the equation for precipitation?

Answer 28

p=Q+E +_S precipitation = runoff + evapotranspiration +_ storage in the soil, aquifers or reservoirs

Question 29

define river regime

Answer 29

annual variation in the discharge or flow of a river at a particular point measured in cummec

Question 30

what is soil moisture surplus?

Answer 30

precipitation is greater then evapotranspiration

Question 31

what is soil moisture utilisation?

Answer 31

as temperature increases, the rate of evaporation will increase, the soil uses the moisture gained during its surplus

Question 32

what is soil moisture recharge?

Answer 32

when evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation and as a result the soil will regain moisture and reduce it's deficit

Question 33

what is soil moisture deficit?

Answer 33

Despite evaporation decreasing, there isn’t enough precipitation to provide for vegetation use of water loss

Question 34

what is a names example of a drainage basin?

Answer 34

Amazon

Question 35

name 3 factors affecting the characteristics of a river regime?

Answer 35

▪ Channel capacity of the river ▪ Area and relief of the drainage basin ▪ Volume, pattern and intensity of precipitation ▪ Climate ▪ Geology of the soil (affecting the input of groundwater) ▪ Anthropogenic (human) activities, such as building dams or terracing the land.

Question 36

how is deforestation affecting the amazon drainage basin?

Answer 36

- provokes irreparable damage in the amazon water cycle | - the retention of humidity of the soil decreases which facilitates the the evaporation of water from the soil