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THE WATER CYCLE AND WA TER INSECURITY
EXAM NEWEST 2024 ACTUAL EXAM
COMPLETE 150 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |
VERIFIED ANSWERS
Which stores of water are non renewable? - ANSWER- Permafrost and fossil water
What is fossil water? - ANSWER- Water that is not being replaced by rainfall - it is over 10000 years old
How much water do oceans store? - ANSWER- 96.5-97%
What are fluxes? - ANSWER- Measures of the rate of flow of water between stores
Where is residence time lowest? - ANSWER- In soil moisture (2-50 weeks)
Where is residence time highest? - ANSWER- Icecaps (15000- 800000 years) and deep Groundwater (10000 years) 1 / 4
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How much freshwater is available for human use? - ANSWER- 1.2%
What is orographic rainfall? - ANSWER- Occurs when moist air is forced to rise over a mountain barrier, such as on the western side of the UK. As the air is forced to rise, its ability to hold water vapour decreases and rainfall can result. As air falls back down under the influence of gravity on the leeward side of the mountain, it is warmed and its ability to hold water vapour subsequently increases.
What is convectional rainfall? - ANSWER- The ground becomes heated to such an extent that the air above it (which is heated by conduction) becomes warmer than its surroundings expands and then rises. As the air continues to rise, it cools further, becomes unstable and large cumulonimbus clouds develop. Convectional thunderstorms are commonly associated with this type of rainfall.
What is cyclonic rainfall? - ANSWER- A period of sustained, moderately intensive rain. It is associated with the passages of depressions. Warm air is forced to rise over cold air
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What is throughfall? - ANSWER- The portion of the precipitation that reaches the ground directly through gaps in the vegetation canopy and drips from leaves, twigs and stems.
What is throughflow? - ANSWER- Water moving slowly downhill through the soil
How does cloud seeding increase precipitation? - ANSWER- Realising silver iodide pellets to condense water droplets
How does deforestation influence the water cycle? - ANSWER- Reduces interception and evapotranspiration, increases surface runoff and soil erosion.
How do dams effect the water cycle? - ANSWER- Increases evaporation rates, influences droughts downstream
How can irrigation influence the water cycle? - ANSWER- Lowers the water table, increasing drought
How much has the Aral sea shrunk in volume due to irrigation? -
ANSWER- 90%
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What is a water budget? - ANSWER- A model that balances the inputs, outputs, and storage of water in a system
What is soil moisture surplus? - ANSWER- When the soil becomes saturated, excess water will have difficulty infiltrating into the ground
What is soil moisture utilisation? - ANSWER- When evapotranspiration is greater than precipitation there is a reduction in the amount of water stored with the soil
What is soil moisture deficiency? - ANSWER- A deficiency in soil water as it has been used up
What is soil moisture recharge? - ANSWER- When precipitation is greater than evapotranspiration the pores of the soil are refilled with water
What is a river regime? - ANSWER- The annual variation in the discharge of a river
What is an Ephemeral river? - ANSWER- These rivers flow rarely - usually after heavy rainstorms
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