What is the habitable zone or "Goldilocks zone"?
The area around a star where it is not too hot or too cold for liquid water to exist on the
surface of surrounding planets.
Define interdependence.
The mutual dependence between things i.e. between the biotic and abiotic.
Define biotic.
The living parts of an area.
Define abiotic.
The non-living parts of an area.
Define flora.
The plants/vegetation in an area.
Define fauna.
The animals in an area.
Define the biosphere.
Biological life system.
Define atmosphere.
Air system.
Define hydrosphere.
Water system.
Define the cryosphere.
Ice system.
Define lithosphere.
Soil system.
Define pedosphere.
Rock system.
Why is water important?
Water makes up 65-95% of all living organisms and is crucial for their growth,
reproduction and other functions.
Why is carbon important?
Photosynthesis
Role in ecosystem (forests and tundra)
Creation of proteins, carbohydrates and nucleic acids
Where does the water cycle come from?
1) Volcanic outgassing and condensation
2) Melting of ice bearing meteors (comets)
If the water and carbon all arrived historically, and is neither increasing or
decreasing through entering/leaving earth... What type of system is it?
Closed system
Define fluxes/turnover time.
,Measurements of the rate of flow of material between stores. Because fluxes are a rate,
the units are mass per unit time, commonly for global cycles these are expressed as Pg
per year.
Define processes/flows.
The physical mechanisms which drive the flux of material between stores.
Define stores.
The total amount of the material of interest held within a part of a system.
Describe the distribution of the world's carbon.
Nearly all stored in the lithosphere as sedimentary rocks (99.985%) - only a small
fraction as organic life as a life function.
Describe the distribution of the world's water.
Nearly all stored in the Hydrosphere (96.5%) - but not as freshwater.
Define infiltration.
Relates to the speed at which water enters the soil.
Define discharge.
The quantity of water flowing through a section of a river.
Define aquifer.
Rocks which will hold water and allow it to pass through, like chalk.
Define the water table.
The level under the ground, below which the ground is saturated (full).
Define precipitation.
The deposition of moisture from the atmosphere onto the surface in any form i.e. liquid
(rain/mist) or solid (hail/snow).
Define run-off/surface flow.
Water that flows over the ground and does not soak in.
Define percolation.
The filtering down of water through cracks, faults or pores in a rock.
Define catchment area/drainage basin.
An area of land which is drained by a river. Any water that falls in the area will make its
way into that central river.
Define water balance.
The balance between the inputs and outputs in any given area.
Define streamflow.
Water travelling along a river course.
Define transpiration.
Movement of water through a plant and its evaporation from the leaves.
Define evapotranspiration.
Release of water from the earth's surface due to both evaporation and transpiration.
Define condensation.
Conversion of water vapour into visible liquid (lets off heat=latent heat).
,Define evaporation.
The change of water from liquid into vapour form.
Define groundwater flow.
Movement of water under the surface.
Define hydrological cycle.
Movement of water around the earth's surface and its transformation between liquid,
gas and solid states.
Define interception.
When the passage of water is interrupted by vegetation.
Define ablation.
The loss of snow/ice from a glacier due to melting.
At a global scale, water flows in a _________ system between the atmosphere,
oceans, land and biosphere.
closed
On a local scale, water is cycled between ___________ systems.
open
Define confluence.
The point at which two rivers meet.
Define tributary.
A small river or stream that joins a larger river.
What is the equation for water balance?
P = Q + E +/- changes in storage
(P = precipitation)
(Q = Runoff)
(E = evaporation)
List inputs for the water cycle.
Groundwater flows from another drainage basin, human management, precipitation
from clouds moving into the catchment area.
List outputs for the water cycle.
River flow into the sea, clouds blow out over system boundaries, human uses
(extraction).
List stores for the water cycle.
Clouds and water vapour, leaves/trees/vegetation, ice, snow, oceans, rivers, aquifers,
lakes/reservoirs.
List processes for the water cycle.
Evaporation, evapotranspiration, precipitation, condensation, ablation, streamflow,
surface run-off, percolation, infiltration, ground water flow.
What is advection?
Horizontal movement of wind over a cooler surface.
What % of rain is recycled through processes in the Amazon?
, 50-80%
Where can some of the outputs of the water cycle end up? Does this suggest this
is an open or closed cycle?
Around the world - open system
What happens to transpiration when forests are cut down?
Transpiration reduces - releases less water back into the rainforest - can lead to
droughts.
Define dew point.
The critical temperature at which condensation occurs.
What is precipitation intensity?
The amount of precipitation falling in a given time.
What is precipitation duration?
The length of time that a precipitation event lasts.
What % of water in the atmosphere comes from transpiration?
10%
How does tree type impact transpiration seasonally?
Deciduous trees shed their leaves to reduce moisture - loss through transpiration.
What are the three types of clouds?
Cumuliform, stratiform, cirrus
Why do we get dew and fog?
Due to condensation at or near the ground.
Define environmental lapse rate.
The vertical temperature profile of the lower atmosphere at any given time. On average,
the temperature falls by 6.5 degrees for every kilometre of height gained.
Define dry adiabatic lapse rate.
The rate at which a parcel of dry air cools. Cooling, caused by adiabatic expansion, is
approximately 10 degrees/km.
Define saturated adiabatic lapse rate.
The rate at which a saturated parcel of air cools as it rises through the atmosphere.
Because condensation releases latent heat, the SALR at around 7 degrees/km is lower
than the DALR.
Define interception loss.
Rainwater stored temporarily on the leaves, stems and branches of vegetation which
evaporates and does not reach the ground surface.
Define throughfall.
Rainwater that is briefly intercepted before dripping to the ground.
Define stemflow.
During periods of prolonged rainfall, intercepted rainwater may flow to the ground along
branches and stems as stem flow.
Define through flow.
The area around a star where it is not too hot or too cold for liquid water to exist on the
surface of surrounding planets.
Define interdependence.
The mutual dependence between things i.e. between the biotic and abiotic.
Define biotic.
The living parts of an area.
Define abiotic.
The non-living parts of an area.
Define flora.
The plants/vegetation in an area.
Define fauna.
The animals in an area.
Define the biosphere.
Biological life system.
Define atmosphere.
Air system.
Define hydrosphere.
Water system.
Define the cryosphere.
Ice system.
Define lithosphere.
Soil system.
Define pedosphere.
Rock system.
Why is water important?
Water makes up 65-95% of all living organisms and is crucial for their growth,
reproduction and other functions.
Why is carbon important?
Photosynthesis
Role in ecosystem (forests and tundra)
Creation of proteins, carbohydrates and nucleic acids
Where does the water cycle come from?
1) Volcanic outgassing and condensation
2) Melting of ice bearing meteors (comets)
If the water and carbon all arrived historically, and is neither increasing or
decreasing through entering/leaving earth... What type of system is it?
Closed system
Define fluxes/turnover time.
,Measurements of the rate of flow of material between stores. Because fluxes are a rate,
the units are mass per unit time, commonly for global cycles these are expressed as Pg
per year.
Define processes/flows.
The physical mechanisms which drive the flux of material between stores.
Define stores.
The total amount of the material of interest held within a part of a system.
Describe the distribution of the world's carbon.
Nearly all stored in the lithosphere as sedimentary rocks (99.985%) - only a small
fraction as organic life as a life function.
Describe the distribution of the world's water.
Nearly all stored in the Hydrosphere (96.5%) - but not as freshwater.
Define infiltration.
Relates to the speed at which water enters the soil.
Define discharge.
The quantity of water flowing through a section of a river.
Define aquifer.
Rocks which will hold water and allow it to pass through, like chalk.
Define the water table.
The level under the ground, below which the ground is saturated (full).
Define precipitation.
The deposition of moisture from the atmosphere onto the surface in any form i.e. liquid
(rain/mist) or solid (hail/snow).
Define run-off/surface flow.
Water that flows over the ground and does not soak in.
Define percolation.
The filtering down of water through cracks, faults or pores in a rock.
Define catchment area/drainage basin.
An area of land which is drained by a river. Any water that falls in the area will make its
way into that central river.
Define water balance.
The balance between the inputs and outputs in any given area.
Define streamflow.
Water travelling along a river course.
Define transpiration.
Movement of water through a plant and its evaporation from the leaves.
Define evapotranspiration.
Release of water from the earth's surface due to both evaporation and transpiration.
Define condensation.
Conversion of water vapour into visible liquid (lets off heat=latent heat).
,Define evaporation.
The change of water from liquid into vapour form.
Define groundwater flow.
Movement of water under the surface.
Define hydrological cycle.
Movement of water around the earth's surface and its transformation between liquid,
gas and solid states.
Define interception.
When the passage of water is interrupted by vegetation.
Define ablation.
The loss of snow/ice from a glacier due to melting.
At a global scale, water flows in a _________ system between the atmosphere,
oceans, land and biosphere.
closed
On a local scale, water is cycled between ___________ systems.
open
Define confluence.
The point at which two rivers meet.
Define tributary.
A small river or stream that joins a larger river.
What is the equation for water balance?
P = Q + E +/- changes in storage
(P = precipitation)
(Q = Runoff)
(E = evaporation)
List inputs for the water cycle.
Groundwater flows from another drainage basin, human management, precipitation
from clouds moving into the catchment area.
List outputs for the water cycle.
River flow into the sea, clouds blow out over system boundaries, human uses
(extraction).
List stores for the water cycle.
Clouds and water vapour, leaves/trees/vegetation, ice, snow, oceans, rivers, aquifers,
lakes/reservoirs.
List processes for the water cycle.
Evaporation, evapotranspiration, precipitation, condensation, ablation, streamflow,
surface run-off, percolation, infiltration, ground water flow.
What is advection?
Horizontal movement of wind over a cooler surface.
What % of rain is recycled through processes in the Amazon?
, 50-80%
Where can some of the outputs of the water cycle end up? Does this suggest this
is an open or closed cycle?
Around the world - open system
What happens to transpiration when forests are cut down?
Transpiration reduces - releases less water back into the rainforest - can lead to
droughts.
Define dew point.
The critical temperature at which condensation occurs.
What is precipitation intensity?
The amount of precipitation falling in a given time.
What is precipitation duration?
The length of time that a precipitation event lasts.
What % of water in the atmosphere comes from transpiration?
10%
How does tree type impact transpiration seasonally?
Deciduous trees shed their leaves to reduce moisture - loss through transpiration.
What are the three types of clouds?
Cumuliform, stratiform, cirrus
Why do we get dew and fog?
Due to condensation at or near the ground.
Define environmental lapse rate.
The vertical temperature profile of the lower atmosphere at any given time. On average,
the temperature falls by 6.5 degrees for every kilometre of height gained.
Define dry adiabatic lapse rate.
The rate at which a parcel of dry air cools. Cooling, caused by adiabatic expansion, is
approximately 10 degrees/km.
Define saturated adiabatic lapse rate.
The rate at which a saturated parcel of air cools as it rises through the atmosphere.
Because condensation releases latent heat, the SALR at around 7 degrees/km is lower
than the DALR.
Define interception loss.
Rainwater stored temporarily on the leaves, stems and branches of vegetation which
evaporates and does not reach the ground surface.
Define throughfall.
Rainwater that is briefly intercepted before dripping to the ground.
Define stemflow.
During periods of prolonged rainfall, intercepted rainwater may flow to the ground along
branches and stems as stem flow.
Define through flow.
